Donation processing system

ABSTRACT

The present invention realizes that a contribution is indirectly made to a content creator in the form of contribution data via a management server of an ASP in such a manner that contribution data equivalent to a given amount corresponding to a contribution button selected on a content display screen is created and transmitted to the management server of the ASP via the Internet.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a contribution processing device, acontribution processing method, a contribution accepting device, acontribution accepting method, a program storage medium, and acontribution processing system, and is suitably applied to a computernetwork system for providing content over the Internet for example.

BACKGROUND ART

In the case that content being images and/or sounds created individuallyby a user is provided over the Internet in a computer network system, auser generally opens his/her own homepages created by using a personalcomputer.

In such a case where a user intends to open a homepage, a user acquiresa homepage creation program by using a personal computer, creates ahomepage which is hyper-linked with a plurality of content according tothe homepage creation program, and stores it in the server of aninternet service provider (this is referred to as “ISP” hereinafter).

Then, the ISP provides a homepage from the server to a client accessingthe ISP over the Internet, and when an anchor on the homepage isclicked, the hyper-linked content is provided subsequently.

In such a computer network system, when a client who gets content and isimpressed by or sympathizes with the content, or feels the contentexcellent, he or she can transmit his or her opinions to the creator bye-mail. However, it is hard for the client to contribute to the contentcreator.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is made in consideration of such problems, and isintended to propose a contribution processing device, a contributionprocessing method, a contribution accepting device, a contributionaccepting method, a program storage medium, and a contributionprocessing system that can make it easier to make a contribution for theinterests of a content creator.

In order to solve such problems, the present invention is designed suchthat image data of content supplied from a content providing device overa network is received, a content display screen having a specificcontribution button provided thereon is displayed based on the imagedata, and when the contribution button is selected on the contentdisplay screen, the contribution data for a specific amount for acontribution is generated, and the contribution data is transmitted tothe content providing device over the network.

By generating the contribution data of a specific amount correspondingto the contribution button selected on the content display screen and bytransmitting the contribution data to the content providing device overthe network, it is possible to indirectly make a contribution in theform of the contribution data for the content to the content creator viathe content providing device.

In addition, in the present invention, contribution data of a givenamount decided by a user as evaluation of supplied content is receivedfrom the user's terminal device and is stored in connection with thecontent, and then the amount according to the contribution data ischarged to the user.

According to the present invention, contribution data of an amountdecided by a user as evaluation of supplied content is received from auser's terminal device and is stored in connection with the content andalso the amount according to the contribution data is charged to theuser, which means that the contribution processing to a content creatorand the charging processing to a user are simultaneously performed, sothat the contribution accepting processing can be performed.

Further, according to the present invention, in the content processingsystem comprising a content providing device for providing content inresponse to a demand and a contribution processing device for receivingthe content supplied from the content providing device over the networkand making a contribution to the content creator, the contributionprocessing device comprises a receiving means for receiving image dataof content supplied from the content providing device over the network,a display means for displaying the content display screen having aspecific contribution button provided thereon, based on the image datareceived by the receiving means, a contribution data generating meansfor generating contribution data of a given amount corresponding acontribution button when the contribution button is selected on thecontent display screen, and a transmitting means for transmitting thecontribution data, which is generated by the contribution datagenerating means, to the content providing device over the network, andthe content providing device comprises a storage means for receiving thecontribution data, which is transmitted from the contribution processingdevice over the network, and for storing the contribution data inconnection with the content, and a charging processing means forcharging the amount equivalent to the contribution data to the user ofthe contribution processing device.

According to the present invention, contribution data of a given amountcorresponding to a contribution button selected on a content displayscreen, the contribution data is transmitted to the content providingdevice over the network, and the contribution data is received andstored in connection with the content and also the amount equivalent tothe contribution data is charged to the user, thus making it possible toindirectly make a contribution to the content creator in the form ofcontent data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram explaining the principle of electroniccommerce utilizing the Internet.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing the structure of a contentproviding system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the structure of a user'sPC.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a desktop screen.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a user information registrationscreen.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a user information file.

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram showing the structure of a contentprovider.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a user registration processing procedureby a management server of an ASP.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of a user informationDB table registered in a user information database.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a capture screen.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a confirmation screen.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing an editing screen.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an on-demand type personal castcontrol screen.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a pull-down menu.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing my channel genre table screen.

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing a CODEC selection screen.

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing an on-demand type provisionschedule management screen.

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram showing a CM provision request screen.

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram showing a CM link setting screen.

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing a content ID setting screen.

FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of a on-demand typeprovision schedule control file.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of connecting toan ASP in the on-demand type.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing the confirmation and changing processingprocedure of a provision schedule.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing a casting processing procedure in theon-demand type.

FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram showing a homepage screen in a personalcasting service.

FIG. 26 is a schematic diagram showing the genre table screen for mychannel.

FIG. 27 is a schematic diagram showing a channel display screenregarding a video genre of “car”.

FIG. 28 is a schematic diagram showing a content display screen havingcontents corresponding to a selected channel button displayed thereon.

FIG. 29 is a schematic diagram showing a live type personal cast controlscreen.

FIG. 30 is a flowchart showing a display processing procedure of a livetype provision schedule management screen.

FIG. 31 is a schematic diagram showing a live type provision schedulemanagement screen for public channels.

FIG. 32 is a schematic diagram showing the content of a live typeprovision schedule control file.

FIG. 33 is a flowchart showing a reservation processing procedure.

FIG. 34 is a schematic diagram showing a live type provision schedulemanagement screen for my channel.

FIG. 35 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of a live typeprovision schedule control file for my channel.

FIG. 36 is a schematic diagram showing a reservation unable messagedisplay screen.

FIG. 37 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of connection toan ASP in the live type.

FIG. 38 is a flowchart showing a casting processing procedure conductedusing my channel in the live type.

FIG. 39 is a schematic diagram showing a live video schedule displayscreen for my channel.

FIG. 40 is a schematic diagram showing a content display screen showingcontents of a live video corresponding to a selected channel button.

FIG. 41 is a flowchart showing a casting processing procedure conductedusing a public channel in the live type.

FIG. 42 is a schematic diagram showing a channel display screen forpublic channels.

FIG. 43 is a schematic diagram showing a live video schedule displayscreen for public channels.

FIG. 44 is a schematic diagram showing a content display screen havingcontents of a live video selected on the live music channel displayedthereon.

FIG. 45 is a schematic diagram showing a contribution amount selectionscreen.

FIG. 46 is a schematic diagram showing a content display screen on whicha contribution amount can be directly inputted.

FIG. 47 is a schematic diagram showing a contribution confirmationscreen.

FIG. 48 is a schematic diagram showing a contribution processing finishscreen.

FIG. 49 is a schematic diagram showing a credit card number inputscreen.

FIG. 50 is a flowchart showing the providing processing procedure ofcontent with CM video.

FIG. 51 is a flowchart showing a profit returning processing procedure.

FIG. 52 is a schematic diagram showing the overall structure of anetwork system according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 53 is a schematic perspective diagram showing the externalstructure of a camera-integrated digital portable telephone.

FIG. 54 is a schematic perspective diagram showing a display unit of thetime when the camera is rotated.

FIG. 55 is a block diagram showing the circuit structure of thecamera-integrated digital portable telephone.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A mode of carrying out the present invention will be described in detailwith reference to the drawings.

(1) Principle of Electronic Commerce Utilizing the Internet

The Internet is a computer network system structured by connecting agreat number of computers to each other with a communication link, inwhich information can be communicated among the computers with the useof various services such as e-mail, Gopher, and WWW (World Wide Web).

As shown in FIG. 1, a WWW server 301 (also called “Web server” or “Website”), which provides a variety of service including the WWW, to clientPCs (Personal Computers) 302-1 to 302-N over the Internet 300, storesWeb pages created from graphic information such as figures and images onthe internal hard disk.

Each resource used in this WWW server 301 or WWW such as a Web page, canbe recognized unmistakably by the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) whichis an addressing technique to perform an identification over theInternet 300.

Accordingly, when a user designates the URL of a Web page desired tosee, using a specified transfer protocol such as HTTP (Hyper TextTransfer Protocol), a client PC 302-1 to 302-N connected to the Internet300 makes a request to see the Web page, to the WWW server 301 with theURL.

Upon receiving the Web page transmitted from the WWW server 301 as aresult of requesting to the WWW server 301, the client PC 302-1 to 302-Ndisplays the Web page on the display unit by a WWW browser stored inadvance on the internal hard disk, thereby the usr can see the Web page.

The typical Web page is defined by the HTML (Hyper Text MarkupLanguage), and an HTML document defining the Web page includes signscalled tags (reserved words) regulated by the HTML to specify how theWeb page should be displayed.

For additional information, the HTML document includes various tagsindicating graphics, control, and other functions, and is capable ofdesignating as a linked page the URL of a Web page that the WWW server301 or other WWW servers, which requests Web pages, can access.

Accordingly, the Web page is to be displayed on the display unit of theclient PC 302-1 to 302-N in a display form desired by the Web pageprovider.

By the way, in recent years, the foregoing WWWs has come into use inelectronic commerce utilizing the Internet 300.

In this case, the WWW server 301 has a Web page which is a commoditycatalog electrically listing products for sale, and transmits the Webpage to a client PC 302-1 to 302-N owned by a client, in response to hisor her request to see it.

Thereby, the client PC 302-1 to 302-N display the Web page received fromthe WWW server 301 over the Internet 300, on the display unit, in orderto let the client see the catalog of commodities for sale.

When the user specifies items to purchase on the Web page showing thecommodity catalog displayed on the display unit, the client PC 302-1 to302-N notifies the WWW server 301 of this intention over the Internet300.

Upon receiving this intention, the WWW server 301 requests customerinformation to the client PC 302-1 to 302-N, and receives the customerinformation including the name of a customer who wants to purchase theitems, a credit card number owned by the customer, an address fordelivering the items from the client PC 302-1 to 302-N.

Next, upon the receipt of the above customer information, the WWW server301 transmits a Web page for confirming the order of the items to theclient PC 302-1 to 302-N, to let the client confirm the order on the Webpage, and then arranges the delivery date of them.

Such electronic commerce utilizing the Internet 300 can realize variouskind of electronic commerce, for example, electric content such as musicis electrically provided to customers over the Internet 300, or physicalitems such as personal computers are delivered to customers by adelivery company.

Incidentally there is another method to define Web pages in addition tothe HTML, namely that is called the XML (extensible Markup Language),which, as in the case of the HTML, uses tags, but is capable ofexpressing the structure and meaning of a document, and of designatingattributes such as hierarchical structure and data type for tags by theDTD (Document Type Definition).

Accordingly, in the WWW server 301, if a Web page is defined by the XML,data for information processing, such as an order code, item code, unitprice, and quantity stored in advance in a database for example, can berecorded in various tags, so that the Web page can be used not only forseeing, but also for automatically carrying out information processingsuch as calculating orders using the data for information processingrecorded in the tags.

(2) Structure of Content Providing System

A reference numeral 1 in FIG. 2 shows a content providing system in thefirst embodiment according to the present invention, which realizeselectronic commerce utilizing the Internet. In the content providingsystem, a user PC (Personal computer) 2 used by a content creator, acontent provider 3 for storing content00000 created by the user PC 2 tobe offered as required, a plurality of client PCs 4 (4A to 4N) forreceiving the content specified on the Web site from the contentprovider 3, an online communication sales company 6 from which thecontent creator does the online shopping with the user PC 2 over theInternet 5, and a commercial client (referred to as a “CM client”hereinafter) 7 for asking the content provider 3 to create a commercialimage (referred to as “CM image” hereinafter) and to provide the CMimage to the client PCs 4, are connected to each other over the Internet5.

This content providing system 1 is a system wherein profit the contentprovider 3 receives are duly given back to content creators (this iscalled “profit returning” hereinafter) according to how many times theclient PCs 4 have accessed each content created with the user PC 2. Inaddition, it constructs an entirely new business model over the Internet5, with the aim of making the content creators create more excellentcontent, and of increasing the number of times that the client PCs 4access in the Web site.

The content provider 3, the online communication sales company 6, andthe CM client 7 enclosed by a broken line compose a business alliance 8by entering into cooperation with each other, which returns profit tothe content creators (user PC 2) by various methods.

Note that, the online communication sales company 6 and the CM client 7have an online communication management device and a CM providingserver, respectively, so as to communicate data with a control serverand a management server of the content provider 3 using the onlinecommunication sales management device and the CM providing server.

The online communication sales management device is composed of variouskinds of hardware concerning the online communication sales, including anetwork interface for realizing connection over the Internet, a controlunit, a storage unit, and a customer management database. And the CMproviding server is also composed of hardware concerning CM image,including a network interface for realizing connection over the Internet5, a control unit, a storage unit, a CM image providing server, a clientmanagement database of the content provider 3 which enters intocooperation with the CM client 7.

(3) User Registration Procedure for User PC

In this content providing system 1 the user PC 2 first has to carry outa user registration procedure with the content provider 3, and the userregistration procedure will be explained in detail below.

As shown in FIG. 3, the user PC 2 comprises a CPU 10, a hard disk drive(HDD) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, an IEEE (Institute ofElectrical and Electronics Engineers) 1394 interface 14, a networkinterface 16, and a display unit 17 being a liquid crystal display, allconnected to each other with a bus 11.

Such a user PC 2 has various kinds of application software stored in theHDD 12, in addition to the OS (Operating System), which is a basicprogram, and takes them in the RAM 13 as occasion arises to perform aspecific process.

That is, in the user PC 2, as shown in FIG. 4, when a content creatorclicks an online signup icon 20 on a desktop screen 19 (a Windows screenof Microsoft Corp.) which is displayed on the display unit 17 byactivating the OS, the CPU 10 starts up an automatic online signupsoftware from the HDD 12 to display a user information registrationscreen 21 on the display unit 17 as shown in FIG. 5.

This user information registration screen 21 is used to input userinformation to apply for a personal casting service as indicated by thescreen title. On the screen, the content creator enters hi or her name,address, telephone number, e-mail address, date of birth, credit cardnumber, first desired user ID, second desired user ID, third desireduser ID, desired channel name, password, and password confirmation, andfinally, selects a type from an “as-much-as-you-like course” and“beginner's course”.

The personal casting service has a content providing mode newly startedin the content providing system 1 of the present invention, including anon-demand type and a live type, of which the contents will be describedin detail later.

The user information registration screen 21 has a cancel button 22 forcanceling the contents of user information entered by a content creator,and an application button 23 to make an application with the userinformation entered by the content creator.

Accordingly, when the application button 23 is clicked after the userinformation is entered, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 creates a userinformation file 25 having the same contents as the user informationregistration screen 21 (FIG. 5) as shown in FIG. 6, transmits it from anetwork interface 16 (FIG. 3) to the content provider 3 according to agiven protocol over the Internet 5 (FIG. 2), and concurrently writes andretains the user information file 25 in the HDD 12.

The content provider 3 consists of an Internet service provider (called“ISP” hereinafter) 31 for connecting the user PC 2 to the Internet 5,and an application service provider (called “ASP” hereinafter) 32 forstoring content supplied from the user PC 2 and for providing it inresponse to the requirements from the client PC 4, as shown in FIG. 7.

In the ISP 31, a control server 33 for controlling the whole operation,a charge management database 34 for managing charges to the user PC 2,and a network interface 35 used for connecting to the user PC 2 over theInternet 5, all connected one another over a LAN (Local Area Network)42, whereby charge management and network control are performed undercontrol of control server 33.

The ASP comprises a management server 36 for controlling the wholeoperation, a user information database 37 for managing the userinformation file 25 of the user PC 2, a provision schedule managementdatabase 38 for managing the providing schedule of content, a contentserver 39 for storing and providing content, a viewer informationdatabase 40 for managing viewer information regarding the client PC 4(viewer) being a viewer of content, and a CM management database 44 forstoring and managing CM images supplied from the CM client 7, incorrespondence with the CM image ID (Identification), all connected oneanother over the LAN 43. And user information management, provisionschedule management, content storing and providing processing, viewerinformation management, and commercial providing management areperformed under control of management server 36.

The content provider 3 receives the user information file 25 transmittedfrom the user PC 2 in the user registration, by the management server 36via the network interface 35 of the ISP 31 and the network interface 41of the ASP 32.

Upon receipt of the user information file 25, the management server 36of the ASP 32 starts a routine RT1 shown in FIG. 8 in the start step andmoves to step SP1, according to the user registration procedure programread out of the internal hard disk.

In step SP1, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads out thecontents of the user information file 25 transmitted from the user PC 2and checks the number of figures of a credit card number, and, when thenumber of figures is correct, it proceeds to next step SP2.

If, however, the credit card number has a wrong number of figures, themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 notifies the user PC 2 of this errorover the Internet 5, and asks the user to enter the credit card numberwith the correct number of figures.

The management server 36 of the ASP 32 accesses the user informationdatabase 37 in step SP2 to check whether the credit a card number of theuser information file 25 transmitted is duplicated, and, only in thiscase of obtaining a negative result, it proceeds to next step SP3.

In step SP3, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 accesses thecredit-granting check server 26 of a credit card company via its networkinterface 41 over the Internet 5, to check whether that credit cardnumber is valid, and only when the credit card number is valid, itproceeds to next step SP4.

In step SP4 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 accesses the userinformation database 37 again to check whether the first to thirddesired user IDs have been already used, and only when non of first tothird desired user IDs is used, it proceeds to next step SP5.

In step SP5 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 selects a user IDmost highly desired out of the desired first to third IDs, from unuseduser IDs, and after determining a URL (Uniform Resource Locator)corresponding to the user ID, creates a user information DB table 45 asshown in FIG. 9 based on the user information file 25, registers it inthe user information database 37. Then, it moves to step SP6.

Written in the user information DB table 45 newly registered in the userinformation database 37 are, in addition to the contents of the userinformation file 25, a URL determined corresponding to the user ID, anaccumulated point that the content creator has got, which is needed forcalculating the profit returning, a user status (stage 1) indicating therank of the user according to the accumulated points, a connectionstarting time and date, a connection ending time and date, an Internetconnection charge to the ISP 31 for the Internet 5 at the present time,and a service utilization charge for the applied service (“as-much-as-you-like course”) for the ASP 32.

In this way, after determining the URL corresponding to the user ID, themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 registers them in the userinformation database 37, whereby granting a content creator the right towrite a file of motion pictures of content created by each contentcreator in the storage area, predetermined in the content server 39,dedicated to the URL.

Also, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 manages the userinformation data table 45 in the user information database DB 37 foreach content creator, for example, it increases and renews theaccumulated points of the content creator in accordance with the numberof accesses made by the client PCs 4 and changes the user status of thecontent creator in accordance with the accumulated points, and renewsvarious kinds of data concerning the connection starting time and date,the connection ending time and date, the current Internet connectioncharge and the service charges for the applied service.

Note that, the user status is the rating of a content creator inaccordance with the accumulated points, rising from the lowest stage 1to the stage 2 and then to the professional stage. Thereby, a contentcreator with a higher ranked user status can receive more profit.

In step SP6, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 informs the user PC2 of a determined user ID and the URL corresponding to the user ID overthe Internet 5.

At this time, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is to provide theuser PC 2 with automatic upload software so programmed as “toautomatically connect to the URL corresponding to the user ID andautomatically write the file of motion pictures of the content createdby the user PC 2 in the memory area in the content server 39 dedicatedto the URL,” as shareware.

Thus, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 downloads the automatic uploadsoftware over the Internet 5, and displays the upload icon 27 of theautomatic upload software on the desktop screen 19 (FIG. 4) inaccordance with the automatic upload software.

Then, when the content creator clicks the upload icon 27 on the desktopscreen 19, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 connects to the ASP 32 via theISP 31 over the Internet 5 according to the automatic upload software,and gives the management server 36 of the ASP 32 the instructions “toautomatically write the file of motion pictures of a content in thememory area in the content server 39 dedicated to the URL.”

Thereby, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 can write the file ofmotion pictures of the content supplied from the user PC 2 in the memoryarea of the content server 39 dedicated to the URL, and reads out thefile of motion pictures of the content from the dedicated memory area ofthe content server 39 in response to a request from the client PC 4 toprovide it to the client PC 4.

As described above, once the user ID is designated and the URL isdetermined according to the user information registration procedure bythe content creator and the automatic upload software is downloaded fromthe ASP 32, the content creator does not need to enter the URL, so thatthe CPU 10 of the user PC 2 makes it increasingly easier to upload thefile of motion pictures of content into the dedicated memory area of thecontent server 39 merely by clicking the upload icon 27.

As a result, the content providing system 1 can construct a system as ifto open a personal broadcast station offering content on one's ownchannel (this is called “my channel” hereinafter).

After completing the user registration procedure processing, themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 creates a user registration completenotification mail in step SP7, which is transmitted from the networkinterface 41 to the user PC 2 over the Internet 5, and all the userregistration procedure processing is completed in step SP8.

Meanwhile, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is to transmit thepersonal user information DB table 45, as required, to the controlserver 33 of the ISP 31 constructing a business alliance, a telephonecompany (not shown) for connecting the user PC 2 to an access point ofthe ISP 31, and an online communication sales management device of theonline communication sales company 6.

As a result, the control server 33 of the ISP 31 and the onlinecommunication sales device of the online communication sales company 6both hold the user information DB table 45.

Accordingly, all the user PC 2 is asked to do is just to perform theuser registration procedure processing at the very first, and not forcedthe content creator to follow a troublesome procedure whenever accessingthe ISP 31, the telephone company, the online communication managementdevice of the online communication sales company 6, and so on.

Incidentally, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is to obtain acontent creator's agreement in the user registration procedure, fortransmitting the contents of the personal information DB table 45 to thecontrol server 33 of the ISP 31, the telephone company, and the onlinecommunication sales management device of the online communication salescompany 6.

(4) Mode of Personal Casting Service

In the content providing system 1 of the present invention, there are anon-demand type and a live type as content providing modes in thepersonal casting service as mentioned before.

The on-demand type is a service wherein content is stored in advance inthe dedicated memory area of the content server 39 corresponding to theURL that the user PC 2 obtained in the user registration for thepersonal casting service, and the content is provided to a client PC 4who makes a request, from the exclusive memory area of the contentserver 39, as if the content could be provided to the client PC 4 thatmakes a request, on the own channel (my channel), like a personalbroadcast station.

On the other hand, the live type is a service mode wherein manyunspecific registered users in the personal casting service share thededicated storage area of the content server 39 specified by the URL ona time basis for each video channel of a particular genre (for example,wedding channel, live music channel, play live channel and live eventchannel), the content of live pictures are transmitted to the client PC4 that made a request, from the dedicated storage area of the contentserver 39 by the streaming reproduction to provide in real time.

In this way, the live type is designed such that many unspecificregistered users can provide content freely by reserving a time frame inthe dedicated memory area of the content server 39 designated by URLsfor each the video channel of a specific genre, thereby making itpossible to provide the content of a live image to a client PC 4 thatmade a request as if it was provided on a public video channel (this iscalled “public channel” hereinafter).

(5) Personal Casting Service by On-Demand Type

Next, concrete explanation will be given on the personal casting serviceby the on-demand type of the content providing system 1.

(5-1) Content Creation Processing of On-Demand Type

The CPU 10 of the user PC 2 (FIG. 3) displays a capture screen 50 asshown in FIG. 10 on the display unit 17 by first starting image capturesoftware from the HDD 12.

In this case, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 links a digital video camera18 connected via the IEEE1394 interface 14 and a capture screen 50 bythe image capture software, and set to the on-demand mode in response tothe click operation of the movie mode switching button 53 by a contentcreator.

Then the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 lets the content creator confirm animage photographed by the digital video camera 18 displayed on thefinder display area 51, and starts recording with the digital videocamera 18 by clicking the capture button 52 by the content creator, andfinishes recording by re-clicking the capture button 52.

At this time the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 captures motion picture datarecorded by the digital video camera 18, via the IEEE1394 interface 14based on the click operations of the capture button 52, and records itonce in the HDD 12.

Next, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays a confirmation screen 55 onthe display 17 according to the image capture software as shown in FIG.11. This confirmation screen 55 has a video display area 56 fordisplaying reproduced motion picture data recorded on the HDD 12 once, atime code display area 57 for showing a time code of the motion picturedata being reproduced, a date display area 58 for showing the recordingdate, operation buttons 59 for reproducing, stopping, fast-forwarding,or rewinding the motion picture data, a delete button 60 for deleting apart or the whole of the motion picture data from the HDD 12, and an OKbutton 61, so that the content creator can confirm the pictures based onthe motion picture data recorded and edit them so as to remain the onlydesired pictures, on the confirmation screen 55.

In detail, when the content creator clicks the OK button 61 afterconfirming and editing the pictures of the recorded motion picture dataon the confirmation screen 55, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 next startsedit software from the HDD 12 to display an edit screen 65 on thedisplay unit 17 as shown in FIG. 12.

This edit screen 65 has three types of confirmation screen display areas66 to 68 capable of displaying the confirmation screen 55 for the motionpicture data recorded with the digital video camera 18, an order button69 used for determining a composition order for the three pieces ofmotion picture data, a composition button 70 used for composing thethree pieces of motion picture data in a determined composition order,and an OK button 71.

Accordingly, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 determines a composition orderfor the three pieces of motion picture data in response to the clickoperations of the order button 69 by the content creator, and creates amotion picture file by compounding the three pieces of motion picturedata in accordance with the determined composition order according tothe click operations of the composition button 70, and stores it on theHDD 12 once as content to be stored in the content server 39 of the ASP32.

(5-2) Schedule Reservation in the On-Demand Type

After that, when the content creator clicks the OK button 71, or theupload icon 27 on the desktop screen 19 (FIG. 4), the CPU 10 of the userPC 2 starts the automatic upload software which was downloaded inadvance from the ASP 32 in the user registration, and displays anon-demand type personal cast control screen 75 on the display unit 17 asshown in FIG. 13.

The on-demand type personal cast control screen 75 shows the letters“On-Demand” in the mode display area 76 indicating that it is in theon-demand mode now, and also displays automatically the company name ofthe ISP 31 in an ISP name display area 77 and displays the letters “MyChannel” in an ASP channel display area 78, which is automaticallywritten in the on-demand mode.

An option button 81 is provided on the on-demand type personal castcontrol screen 75, and when the content creator clicks this optionbutton 81, the CPU 10 of the use PC 2 displays a pull-down menu 85 asshown in FIG. 14 on the on-demand type personal cast control screen 75in accordance with the automatic upload software.

This pull-down menu 85 has a genre setting button 85A used fordesignating a video genre of content created by the content creator, aCODEC selection button 85B used for selecting a CODEC when providingcontent to the client PC 4 that makes a request, a schedule reservationbutton 85C to enable the content creator to freely determine a contentproviding schedule, a CM provision request button 85D used for providinga CM image affixed to the beginning of content as desired by the contentcreator, to the client PC 4, a CM link setting button 85E used formoving to a homepage of, for example, a commercial sponsoring companyfrom a CM image, and a content ID setting button 85F used for setting acontent ID corresponding to content.

When the content creator clicks the genre setting button 85A in thepull-down menu 85, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays a my channelgenre display screen 90 as shown in FIG. 15 on the display unit 17according to the automatic upload software.

The my channel genre screen 90 has category icons 91 to 99 showing thevideo categories that the content creator uses to designate a videogenre of the content. When the content creator clicks any one (“car”category icon 92 for example) out of them, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2recognizes the video genre of the content as “car”, stores therecognition result as the category data once on the HDD 12.

Also, when the content creator clicks the CODEC selection button 85B inthe pull-down menu 85, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays a CODECselection screen 100 on the display unit 17 as shown in FIG. 16according to the automatic upload software.

This CODEC selection screen 100 is used for selecting any one of, forexample, MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) 4, MPEG 2, and Real G2 as aCODEC in providing content to the client PC 4, and so, if a check markis put on the MPEG 4, for example, by the content creator, the CPU 10 ofthe user PC 2 recognizes the type of CODEC as MPEG 4, stores therecognition result as the CODEC type data once on the HDD 12.

Furthermore, when the content creator clicks the schedule reservationbutton 85C in the pull-down menu 85, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2displays an on-demand type provision schedule management screen 105 onthe display unit 17 as shown in FIG. 17 in accordance with the automaticupload software.

This on-demand type provision schedule management screen 105 has acalendar display area 106, an image list display area 107, a schedulecontent display area 108, a decision button 109, a schedule contentconfirmation button 110, and a schedule content renewal button 111.

When the content creator selects a desired date (e.g., February 19) ofproviding content in the calendar display area 106 on this on-demandtype provision schedule management screen 105 by a click operation, theCPU 10 of the user PC 2 recognizes the providing date desired by thecontent creator as February 19, and then stores February 19 once on theHDD 12 as the providing date data, and also writes and displays theproviding date (February 19) on a title area in the schedule displayarea 108 automatically.

And, when the content creator designates a time schedule appoint bar 112by clicking a desired starting time and ending time in the schedulecontent display area 108 on the on-demand type provision schedulemanagement screen 105, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 recognizes the timeschedule frame from starting time to the ending time, and simultaneouslydisplays the time schedule appoint bar 112 segmented by time scheduleframes appointed by the content creator.

That is to say, the time schedule bar 112 in the schedule contentdisplay area 108 is divided into; a first time schedule frame from6:00:00 to 6:59:59, a second time schedule frame from 7:00:00 to7:59:59, a third time schedule frame from 8:00:00 to 8:59:59, a fourthtime schedule frame from 9:00:00 to 10:59:59, . . . , a fifth timeschedule frame from 21:00:00 to 21:59:59, and a sixth time scheduleframe from 22:00:00 to 23:59:59.

Subsequently, when the content creator selects a desired time scheduleframe on the time schedule appoint bar 112 by the click operation andclicks a desired sign (MA, MB, or MC) indicating a desired kind of video(e.g., 4WD, sports car, electric car) in the video table display area107, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 recognizes the kinds of images of thecontent to be offered in the selected first to sixth time scheduleframes by the signs (MA, MB, or MC), and displays the recognized signsin the time schedule frames respectively on the time schedule appointbar 112.

Then, when the decision button 109 is clicked on the on-demand typeprovision schedule management screen 105, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2produces a providing schedule program to provide the content of thedetermined kind reserved for each of the first to sixth time scheduleframes on the time schedule appoint bar 112, and stores it once on theHDD 12.

That is, the providing schedule program is programmed to provide thecontent of “4WD” corresponding to the sign MA in response to a requestfrom the client PC4 within the first time schedule frame on the timeschedule appoint bar 112; to provide the content of “sports car”corresponding to the sign MB in response to a request from the client PC4 within the second time schedule frame; to provide the content of “4WD”corresponding to the sign MA in response to a request from the client PC4 within the third time schedule frame; to provide the content of“sedan” corresponding to the sign MC in response to a request from theclient PC 4 within the fourth time schedule frame; to provide thecontent of “sports car” corresponding to the sign MB in response to arequest from the client PC 4 within the fifth time schedule frame; andto provide the content of “4WD” corresponding to the sign MA in responseto a request from the client PC 4 within the sixth time schedule frame.

On the other hand, when the content creator clicks the CM provisionrequest button 85D in the pull-down menu 85 (FIG. 14), the CPU 10 of theuser PC 2 displays a CM provision request screen 115 on the display unit17 as shown in FIG. 18 in accordance with the automatic upload software.

This CM provision request screen 115 has a CM desired button 115A and aCM undesired button 115B to ask the content creator whether he or shewishes to provide a client PC 4 with CM videos affixed to the beginningof his or her content, so that only when the CM desired button 115A isclicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 creates CMdesired data indicating that CM videos are desired to be affixed to thecontent, and stores it once on the HDD 12.

Furthermore, when the content creator clicks the CM link setting button85E in the pull-down menu 85, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays a CMlink setting screen 116 on the display unit 17 as shown in FIG. 19 inaccordance with the automatic upload software.

This CM link setting screen 116 has a CM link button 116A to set ananchor linking to the homepage of a commercial sponsoring company, forexample, from a CM video initially affixed to the content, and aCM-not-link button 116B not to set a linkage from a CM video, and onlywhen the CM link button 116A is clicked by the content creator, the CPU10 of the user PC 2 creates CM link data indicating that an anchor isdesired to be set to link to a given homepage from a CM video, andstores it once on the HDD 12.

Furthermore, when the content creator clicks the content ID settingbutton 85F in the pull-down menu 85, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2displays a content ID setting screen 117 on the display unit 17 as shownin FIG. 20 in accordance with the automatic upload software.

The content ID setting screen 117 has the content ID input area 117A,and when the content creator enters the content ID corresponding to thecontent and presses the enter key, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2recognizes the content ID and stores it once on the HDD 12.

In this way, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 sets various conditions foroffering content with the pull-down menu 85 displayed by clicking theoption button 81 on the personal cast control screen 75, and newlycreates an on-demand type provision schedule control file 120 as shownin FIG. 21 based on the various kinds of condition data (category data,CODEC kind data, providing schedule program, CM desired data, CM linkdata, and content ID) once recorded on the HDD 12, and the contents ofthe user information file 25 created in the user registration procedureprocessing, and stores them once on the HDD 12.

That is to say, the on-demand type provision schedule control file 120once stored on the HDD 12 comprises an ISP name (*****) as an “ISPconnection point” used in connecting to the Internet 5, a channel type(my channel) as “ASP channel” at the time when the ASP 32 providescontent, a content ID (***) determined by the content creator as“content ID”, a CODEC (MPEG 4) as “CODEC” at the time of providingcontent, an image category (car) as “image genre”, the contents (variousconditions such as “start at 6:00 February 19”) of providing scheduledata as “providing schedule”, a presence/absence of a CM provisionrequest (with CM) as “CM request”, a presence/absence of a linked CM(without CM link) as “CM link”, a user ID (kimukimu) as “user ID at thetime of user registration, and a password (*****) as “password” at thetime of user registration.

Accordingly, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 display the letters “car” asthe image category of the content, in the video genre display area 79 onthe on-demand type personal cast control screen 75 (FIG. 13) based onthe on-demand type provision schedule control file 120, and displays theletters “start at 6:00 February 19” as the providing schedule of thecontent, on the providing schedule reservation area 80.

Note that, it has been explained that the CM link and the content ID areset by the user PC 2 with the use of the pull-down menu 85, however,they may be set automatically by the management server 36 of ASP 32.

As to the CM link setting for example, when a link has been designatedby the CM client 7, the CM link is made automatically for a CMdetermined to be provided by the client PC 4.

Also, for example, when an image is uploaded, a content ID is setautomatically by the management server 36 of the ASP 32, thus making itpossible to manage an image by the management server 36 of the ASP 32with this ID.

(5-3) Connection Processing to ASP in On-Demand Type

Next, when the content creator confirms the contents of the on-demandtype personal cast control screen 75 (FIG. 13) and clicks the connectbutton 82, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 starts a routine RT2 shown inFIG. 22 at the starting step in accordance with the automatic uploadsoftware, and moves on to step SP11.

In step SP11, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 logs in to the ASP 32 via thenetwork interface 16 (FIG. 3) over the Internet 5 and through the ISP31, and accesses the user information database 37 of the ASP 32 toobtain authentication of the user ID, password, and so on, and thenmoves to step SP12.

Having obtained authentication by the ASP 32 in step SP12, the CPU 10 ofthe user PC 2 reads out an on-demand type provision schedule controlfile 120 and the motion picture file of the content from the HDD 12, andtransfers the on-demand type provision schedule control file 120 and themotion picture file of the content to the management server 36 from thenetwork interface 16 via the Internet 5, the network interface 35 of theISP 31, and the network interface 41 of the ASP 32, and proceeds to nextstep SP13 where the processing is terminated.

In this way, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 is capable of uploading theon-demand type provision schedule control file 120 and the motionpicture file of the content into the ASP 32 in accordance with theautomatic upload software.

Upon receipt of the on-demand type provision schedule control file 120and the motion picture file of the content via the network interface 41,the management server 36 of the ASP 32 registers the on-demand typeprovision schedule control file 120 in the provision schedule managementdatabase 38, and stores the motion picture file of the content in thededicated memory area of the content server 39 corresponding to the URLthat the user PC 2 obtained in the user registration.

In the case where the CM provision request is “with CM” as the contentsof the on-demand type provision schedule control file 120, themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 creates a motion picture file with CMby affixing a CM video supplied in advance by the CM client 7 and storedin the CM control database 44, to the beginning of the motion picturefile of the content, and retains it in the content server 39 once again.

In the meantime, the control server 33 of the ISP 31 charges for anInternet connection charge, which occurs while the user PC 2 uploads theon-demand type provision schedule control file 120 and the motionpicture file of the content into the ASP 32, in correspondence with theuser ID of the user PC 2, and renews the charge data of the chargemanagement database 34.

Also, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 charges for the servicecharge of the ASP 32 in correspondence with the user ID of the user PC2, transmits this charge data to the charge management database 34 viathe network interface 41 and the network interface 35 of the ISP 31, torenew the charge data of the charge management database 34.

Incidentally, when the user PC 2 has a contract for a fixed chargeservice called “as-much-as-you-like course”, the control server 36 ofthe ASP 32 only records in the user information database 37 theconnection time from the connection starting time and date to theconnection ending time and date, without performing the chargeprocessing and with the service charge fixed.

To confirm the contents of the on-demand type provision schedule controlfile 120 after the on-demand type provision schedule control file 120and the motion picture file of the content are uploaded into the ASP 32,what the content creator has to do is just to click the schedule contentconfirmation button 110 on the on-demand type provision schedulemanagement screen 105 (FIG. 17).

At this time, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 starts a routine RT3 shown inFIG. 23 at the start step, and proceeds to step SP15 in accordance withthe automatic upload software.

In step SP15, when the content creator clicks the schedule contentconfirmation button 110, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 performs the log-inprocessing to the ASP 32 from the network interface 16 (FIG. 3) via theInternet 5 and ISP 31, to obtain authentication of the user ID, andpassword, etc., by accessing the user information database 37 of the ASP32, and then proceeds to next step SP16.

Since the management server 36 of the ASP 32 has obtained authenticationof the user ID, and password, etc., the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 issupplied with the on-demand type provision schedule control file 120from the provision schedule management database 38 in step SP16, anddisplays the on-demand type provision schedule management screen 105(FIG. 17) once again on the display unit 17 based on the on-demand typeprovision schedule control file 120.

The CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays the on-demand type provisionschedule management screen 105 on the display unit 17 in this way, sothat the content creator can reconfirm the contents of the on-demandtype provision schedule control file 120.

After that, in the case of modifying the contents of the on-demand typeprovision schedule control file 120, when the content creator clicks thedecision button 109 after the providing schedule is modified on theon-demand type provision schedule management screen 105, the CPU 10 ofthe user PC 2 proceeds to next step SP17.

In step SP17, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 creates a new providingschedule based on the contents modified on the on-demand type provisionschedule management screen 105, to create a new on-demand type provisionschedule control file 120 based on this program, and then it proceeds tonext step SP18.

When the content creator clicks the renewal button 111 on the on-demandtype provision schedule management screen 105, the CPU 10 of the user PC2 transfers the new on-demand type provision schedule control file 120to the ASP 32 over the Internet 5, and proceeds to next step SP19 wherethe processing is terminated.

As a result, the control server 36 of the ASP 32 renews the provisionschedule management database 38 based on the new on-demand typeprovision schedule control file 120, to manage the providing schedule ofthe content based on this new on-demand type provision schedule controlfile 120 thereafter.

(5-4) Content Providing Processing in On-Demand Type

Similar to the user PC 2, the client PC 4 also can make userregistration to the content provider 3 when receiving content. In thiscase, the client PC 4 performs the user registration in accordance withthe user registration processing procedure of the routine RT1 (FIG. 8),then the control server 36 of the ASP 32 registers a viewer informationfile in the viewer information database 40 in correspondence with theuser ID and password of the client PC 4.

In the case that user registration has not been made, the client PC 4may access directly, as a visitor, the web site of the personal castingservice provided by the ASP 32. The only user-registered client PC 4 isallowed to make a contribution easily to a content creator of contentwhich moves the client, which the client sympathizes with, or which theclient feels excellent. Explanation will be given on the contributionlater.

In practice, in such a case that content is provided to auser-registered client PC 4 in the on-demand type for example, themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 starts a routine RT4 shown in FIG. 24at the starting step in accordance with a content providing program readfrom the inside hard disk, and then proceeds to step SP21.

In step SP21, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is logged in by theclient PC 4 and refers to the viewer information file in the viewerinformation database 40 based on the user ID and password sent from theclient PC 4, and then proceeds to next step SP22.

In SP22, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whether theclient PC 4 logging in is a legitimate registered user, in referencewith the viewer information file in the viewer information database 40based on the user ID and password.

Obtaining a negative result here means that the user ID and password donot match those registered in the viewer information database 40, thenthe management server 36 of the ASP 32 returns to step SP21, and letsthe client PC 4 perform log-in processing again, to enter the correctuser ID and password.

On the other hand, obtaining an affirmative result in step SP22 meansthat the client PC 4 is a regular registered user, then the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 moves to next step SP23.

In step SP23, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads the HTML fileof a homepage in the personal casting service from the content server 39in response to the access from the client PC 4, and transmits it to theclient PC 4 via the network interface 41 over the Internet 5.

The client PC 4 has almost the same structure as the user PC 2 (FIG. 3),and its CPU (not shown in figure) receives the HTML file of the homepagein the personal casting service transmitted from the ASP 32, anddisplays it on the display unit as a homepage screen 125 (NetScapeCommunication Corp's netscape navigator screen) as shown in FIG. 25.

This homepage screen 125 displays an on-demand type my channel selectionbutton 127 to receive content on my channel in an on-demand modeselection display area 126, and a live type public channel selectionbutton 129 to receive content of a live video on a public channel and alive type my channel selection button 130 to receive content of a livevideo on my channel, in a live mode selection display area 128.

When the user clicks the on-demand type my channel selection button 127on this homepage screen 125, the CPU of the client PC 4 transmits to themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5 a mode selectionsignal indicating that the on-demand type my channel selection button127 has been pressed.

In step SP24 the management server 36 retrieves an HTML fileconstituting a genre table screen for my channel from the content server39 based on the mode selection signal transmitted from the client PC 4,and transmits it to the client PC 4 via the network interface 41 overthe Internet 5.

Thereby, the CPU of the client PC 4 receives the HTML file of the genretable screen for my channel transferred from the ASP 32, and displays iton the display unit as the genre table screen 135 for my channel asshown in FIG. 26.

This genre table screen 135 for my channel is almost the same as thegenre table screen 90 (FIG. 15) for my channel that is used by thecontent creator in selecting a video genre of content, and displayscategory icons 136 to 144 assigned to each image category thereon.

When the user of the client PC 4 clicks any one (e.g., “car” categoryicon 137) out of those category icons 136 to 144 on the genre tablescreen 135 for my channel, the CPU of the client PC 4 transmits to themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5 a genre selectionsignal corresponding to the “car” category icon 137.

In step SP25 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 retrieves the HTMLfile of the channel display screen concerning the image category “car”from the content server 39 based on the genre selection signaltransmitted from the client PC 4, and transmits it to the client PC 4via the network interface 41 over the Internet 5.

After that, the CPU of the client PC 4 receives the HTML file of thechannel display screen transmitted from the ASP 32, and displays it onthe display unit as a channel display screen 150 regarding the videogenre “car” as shown in FIG. 27.

This channel display screen 150 displays channel buttons 151 to 159 withchannel names (e.g., Kimura Ch) which was set up in the user informationDB table 45 (FIG. 9) at the time when the content creator performed userregistration processing. A user can click and select a desired channelbutton (e.g., Kimura Ch) out of them.

In step SP26, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whether adesired channel button 155 is click-selected by the user of the clientPC 4 viewing the channel display screen 150.

In this case, the CPU of the client PC 4 transmits to the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5 a content ID setcorresponding to the channel button 155 selected by the user.

Accordingly, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 recognizes that adesired channel button 155 is clicked at the place where the content IDis received, and captures a URL corresponding to the channel button 155with reference to the on-demand type provision schedule control file 120stored in the provision schedule management database 38 based on thecontent ID.

Obtaining a negative result in step SP26 means that none of the channelbuttons 151 to 159 displayed on the channel display screen 150 isselected by the user, and then the management server 36 of the ASP 32waits until any one of the channel buttons 151 to 159 is selected.

On the other hand, obtaining an affirmative result in step SP26 meansthat the user has clicked a desired channel button 155 out of thechannel buttons 155 to 159, then the management server 36 of the ASP 32proceeds to next step SP27.

Upon receipt of the content ID corresponding to a clicked channel (e.g.,Kimura CH) 155 from the client PC 4 over the Internet 5, the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 refers to the on-demand type provision schedulecontrol file 120 based on the content ID, and retrieves a motion picturefile with a CM (commercial) of a certain kind (MA, MB, or MC) of a videoto be provided, from the dedicated memory area in the content server 39based on the URL corresponding to the content ID, at the timing of thechannel button 155 clicked, and transmits it to the client PC 4 over theInternet 5, and then it goes to next step SP28 where the processing isterminated.

In practice, when the user clicks a channel button (e.g., Kimura Ch) 155on the channel display screen 150 at 10:55 a.m. on February 19 forexample, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 refers to the on-demandtype provision schedule control file 120 and transmits to the client PC4 the motion picture file with CM of a movie kind “Sedan” in accordancewith the providing schedule on the schedule content display area 108designated on the on-demand type provision schedule management screen105 (FIG. 17).

Thereby, the client PC 4 displays a content display screen 165 as shownin FIG. 28 on the display unit based on the received motion picture filewith CM, and a CM movie is first displayed in a display area 166appearing in the center of the content display screen 165, and a motionpicture of a car “sedan (MC)” is displayed thereafter.

As described above, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is totransmit to the client PC 4 one kind of a motion picture file with CM tobe provided at the timing when a channel button 151 to 159 is clicked bythe user of the client PC 4, in accordance with the content of theon-demand type provision schedule control file 120.

Thereby, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is capable oftransmitting content swiftly without delay even when transmitting thesame content to a plurality of clients PC4 almost at the same time inresponse to their requests, as compared with the case where a pluralityof content need to be transmitted simultaneously at certain timing,because a narrower bandwidth of a transmission line is used.

Also, at this time the management server 36 of the ASP 32 counts thenumber of the clicks by the client PC 4 as the access number every timea motion picture file with CM is provided to the client PC 4 in responseto the click operation.

In this case, the access times counted is equivalent to the number ofpeople watching the CM video, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 isdesigned to give points according to the number of access times to thecontent creator, so that a fair profit returning goes to the contentcreator who creates a most frequently accessed content. For this reason,the point of the content creator is registered in the user informationDB table 45 corresponding to the user ID, and then is stored in the userdatabase 37.

(6) Personal Casting Service in Live Type

Next, concrete explanation will be given on the personal casting serviceby the live type of a content providing system 1.

(6-1) Schedule Reservation in the Live Type

In the live type, to provide content of a live video in real time, it isnot necessary to create the motion picture file of the content and tostore the created motion picture file of the content in the contentserver 39 of the ASP 32 in advance, unlike the on-demand type.

In the live type, however, since content is to be provided on a commonpublic channel (wedding ceremony channel, live music channel, livetheater channel, or live event channel), it is necessary to reserve inadvance a public channel within a desired time schedule frame.

That is, reserving a public channel within the desired time scheduleframe means reserving the dedicated memory area of the content server 39corresponding to the URL of each public channel within the desired timeschedule frame.

In practice, when the ASP 32 provides the content of a live video, itreads and outputs the motion picture file of the live video sent fromthe user PC 2 while once writing it in the dedicated memory area of thecontent server 39 designated by the URL for each public channel.

That is, to make a reservation the public channel within a time scheduleframe, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 first displays the capture screen 50(FIG. 10) on the display unit 17 by starting the image capture software,as is the case of the on-demand type.

And, after the live mode is set in response to the click operation ofthe movie mode switching button 53 on the capture screen 50, the CPU 10of the user PC 2 starts the automatic upload software downloaded inadvance from the ASP 32 at the time of user registration, and displays alive type personal cast control screen 170 on the display unit 17 asshown in FIG. 29 in which the same reference numerals are applied toparts corresponding to those in FIG. 13.

The live type personal cast control screen 170 displays the letters“LIVE” indicating that the live mode is set currently on the modedisplay area 171, and displays the letters “PUBLIC CHANNEL” set asdefault in the live mode on the ASP channel display area 172, and has aschedule reservation button 173, in place of the option button 81 on theon-demand type personal cast control screen 75 (FIG. 13).

In addition, the live type personal cast control screen 170 displays onthe video genre display area 79 the name of a public channel (e.g.,“LIVE MUSIC”) which is determined when the content creator reserves thetime schedule frame, out of four types of channels: the wedding ceremonychannel; the live music channel; the live theater channel; and the liveevent channel which are set as public channels.

Furthermore, the live type personal cast control screen 170 displays theproviding time and date of the content of a live video reserved by thecontent creator, in the providing schedule reservation display area 80,like the on-demand type.

In the live type personal cast control screen 170 described above, whenthe content creator clicks the schedule reservation button 173, the CPU10 of the user PC 2 starts the automatic upload software downloaded fromthe ASP 32, and starts a routine RT5 shown in FIG. 30, at starting step,and proceeds to step SP31.

In step SP31, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 logs in to the ASP 32 via thenetwork interface 16 (FIG. 3) over the Internet 5 and through the ISP31, and obtains authentication based on the user ID, password, etc., byaccessing the user information database 37 of the ASP 32, then moves onto next step SP32.

In step SP32, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 receives over the Internet 5 alive type provision schedule control file concerning the reservationstate of the public channel which is read out by the management server36 of the ASP 32 from the provision schedule management database 38,records it on the HDD, and it proceeds to next step SP33.

In step SP33, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays on the display unit17 a live type provision schedule management screen 175 for a publicchannel, as shown in FIG. 31, based on the live type provision schedulecontrol file concerning the reservation state of a public channelsupplied from the ASP 32, and then it terminates the processing in nextstep SP34.

This live type provision schedule management screen 175 has four publicchannel buttons: a wedding ceremony Ch button 176, a live music Chbutton 177; a live theater Ch button 178; and a live event Ch button179, corresponding to the wedding ceremony channel, the live musicchannel, the live theater channel, and the live event channelrespectively.

When the content creator clicks, for example, the live music Ch button177 out of the four public channels, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2displays in a schedule content display area 180 the current reservationstate of the “LIVE MUSIC CHANNEL” based on the live type provisionschedule control file.

The schedule time plan table 182 in the schedule content display area180 shows the reservation state of this day as a default, and when thecontent creator clicks a desired reservation date (e.g., February 19) inthe calendar display area 181, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays thereservation state of the desired reservation date (February 19) for thelive music channel in the schedule time plan table 182 based on the livetype provision schedule control file.

The content creator is to confirm the reservation state on a desiredreservation date (February 19) displayed in the schedule time plan table182 and to appoint a desired starting time (e.g., 10:00) and an endingtime (10:59:59) out of the “vacant” time schedule of a time scheduleappoint bar 183 with the cursor, whereby determining a time scheduleframe 183A for the content of the live video to be provided.

By performing the above processing, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2recognizes as the reserved time schedule frame data the starting timeand the ending time of the time schedule frame 183A specified by thecontent creator, and additionally writes it in the live type provisionschedule control file, displaying “FULL” in the time schedule frame183A.

When the content creator enters the name (e.g., “xx tour”) of thecontent to be provided in the reserved time schedule frame 183A, thatname is automatically added to the live type provision schedule controlfile in correspondence with a given content ID.

When a check mark is affixed to the MPEG 4, for example, as a CODEC whenproviding the content of a live video in the CODEC selection displayarea 184, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 recognizes the type of a selectedCODEC as MPEG 4, adds the recognition result to the live type provisionschedule control file as the CODEC type data.

Out of a CM desired button 185 to add a CM video to the beginning of thecontent and provide it to the client PC 4, and a CM undesired button 186not to provide a CM video to the client PC 4, when the content creatorclicks the CM desired button 185, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 creates CMdesired data to add the CM video to the content of the live video, andadded it to the live type provision schedule control file.

By performing various setting to provide the content of the live videoon the live music channel as a public channel as described above,creates a new live type provision schedule control file 189 as shown inFIG. 32, and record it once on the HDD 12.

The live type provision schedule control file 189 stores: an ISP name(*****) used when connecting to the Internet 5, as an “ISP connectiondestination”; a channel type (public channel) used when the ASP providesthe content of a live video, as an “ASP channel”; the title (xx tour) ofthe content as the “content name”; a CODEC (MPEG 4) in provision as“CODEC”; a type of a public channel (live music channel) selected by thecontent creator according to content of a live video as a “publicchannel”; a time and date (various conditions such as a providingschedule from 10:00 on February 19) as “providing schedule”; apresence/absence of CM provision request (with CM) as “CM request”; auser ID (kimkim) decided in the user registration, as the “user ID”; anda password (*****) decided in the user registration as the “password”.

When the content creator clicks the reservation button 187 on the livetype provision schedule management screen 175, the CPU 10 of the user PC2 starts a routine RT6 at starting step, and moves on to step SP41 inaccordance with the automatic upload software.

In step SP41, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 logs in to the ASP 32 with thenetwork interface 16 (FIG. 3) over the Internet 5 and through the ISP31, and obtains authentication based on the user ID, password, etc., byaccessing the user information database 37 of the ASP 32, and then itproceeds to next step SP42.

In step SP42, having obtained authentication from the ASP 32, the CPU 10of the user PC 2 transfers a newly created live type provision schedulecontrol file 189 to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 over theInternet 5, and proceeds to next step SP43.

Then, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 renews the provisionschedule management database 38 with the use of the live type provisionschedule control file 189 transferred from the user PC 2, andsubsequently reads out the live type provision schedule control file 189again from the provision schedule management database 38, and sends itback to the user PC 2.

At this time, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 charges,corresponding to the user ID, as a service charge, for a reservation feefor newly performing reservation processing to provide the content oflive video to the user PC 2, and renews the user information DB table 45in the user information database 37.

In step SP43, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 receives the renewed live typeprovision schedule control file 189 with the provision schedulemanagement database 38 renewed, and displays on the display unit 17 thelive type provision schedule management screen 175 again based on thelive type provision schedule control file 189 for confirmation, and itproceeds to next step SP44 where the processing is terminated.

Note that the live type provision schedule management screen 175displayed at this time displays the time schedule frame 183A having theletters “FULL” displayed thereon, in a specific color, for the contentcreator's confirmation, whereby the content creator can easily recognizethe schedule of the content reserved by himself or herself.

By the way, as a result of confirming the reservation state shown in theschedule content display area 180 on the live type provision schedulemanagement screen 175 (FIG. 31) for a public channel, in the case where“FULL” is written in a desired time schedule frame of providing thecontent of the live video, on the time schedule appoint bar 183 in theschedule time plan table 182, the content of the live video can not beprovided on that public channel.

When the content creator clicks the my channel button 188 provided atthe lower part of the live type provision schedule management screen 175in this situation, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 receives an on-demandtype schedule control file 120 of the provision schedule managementdatabase 38 from the management server 36 of the ASP 32, and displays alive type provision schedule management screen 190 for my channel asshown in FIG. 34 based on the on-demand type provision schedule controlfile 120.

The live type provision schedule management screen 190 for this mychannel is capable of making a reservation for providing the content ofa live video utilizing a “vacant” time, other than the reserved timeschedule frames (time schedule frames indicated by MA and MB) ofproviding content in the on-demand type, on the time schedule appointbar 194, and has a my channel schedule content display area 191, a mychannel genre table area 195, a CODEC selection area 205, a CM desiredbutton 206, a CM not desired button 207, and a reservation button 208.

In this case, too, when the content creator clicks a desired reservationdate (e.g., February 19) in the calendar display area 192 in the mychannel schedule content display area 191, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2displays the reservation state of a desired reservation date (February19) for my channel on the schedule time plan table 193 based on theon-demand type provision schedule control file 120.

Accordingly, the content creator can confirm the reservation statedisplayed on the schedule time plan table 193, and designate a desiredstarting time (e.g., 10:00) and an ending time (10:59:59) with thecursor in the “vacant” time schedule on the time schedule appoint bar194, to determine a time schedule frame 194A in which the content of alive video is provided on my channel.

Thereby, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 recognizes as the reserved timeschedule frame data, the starting time and the ending time shown on thetime schedule frame 194A determined by the content creator, concurrentlydisplaying the letters “FULL” in the time schedule frame 194A, andstores the reserved time schedule frame data once on the HDD 12.

Next, when the category (music) icon 199 corresponding to the videogenre of a live video is clicked out of the category icons 196 to 204displayed in the my channel genre display area 195, the CPU 10 of theuser PC 2 recognizes the category of the selected video genre as“music”, records the recognition result once on the HDD 12 as thecategory data.

At this time, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 indicates the letters “music”in the time schedule frame 194A on the time schedule appoint bar 194,replacing the letters “FULL”.

Subsequently, when a check mark is put on the MPEG4, for example, as aCODEC in providing the client PC 4 with the content of a live video onthe CODEC selection display area 205, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2recognizes the selected CODEC type as MPEG4, and stores the recognitionresult once on the HDD 12 as the CODEC type data.

Out of the CM desired button 206 to add a CM video to the beginning ofthe content and provide it to a client PC 4, and the CM undesired button207 to provide the content without a CM video to a client PC 4, when thecontent creator clicks the CM desired button 206, the CPU 10 of the userPC 2 also creates CM desired data indicating that a CM video is desiredto be affixed to the content of the live video, and stores it once onthe HDD 12.

After performing various settings to provide a live video of live musicas content on my channel as described above, when the content creatorclicks the reservation button 208, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 creates anew live type provision schedule control file 210 for my channel asshown in FIG. 35, and transfers it to the management server 36 of theASP 32 over the Internet 5 to register it in the provision schedulemanagement database 38.

By the way, for a plurality of content creators who make a reservationfor providing the content of a live video on my channel, the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 has a limitation on the number (e.g., up to 10pieces) of content of live videos which can be provided in the same timeschedule frame.

When the management server 36 of the ASP 32 detects based on theproviding schedule program read out of the internal hard disk that thenumber of content has reached the maximum in a time schedule framedesired by a content creator, it does not accept a live type provisionschedule control file 210 for my channel which is sent from the user PC2 thereafter, and reads out image data of a reservation unable messagedisplay screen stored in advance in the provision schedule managementdatabase 38, and transmits it to the user PC 2 over the Internet 5.

The CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays on the display unit 17 areservation unable message display screen 212 as shown in FIG. 36 basedon the image data of the reservation unable message display screen, tonotify the content creator of the fact that “the desired time scheduleframe is already fully booked, in which to provide the content of a livevideo in real time”.

Therefore, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 can provide thecontent of a live video to the client PC 4 without fail in thereal-time, without a tie-up or delay in providing the content due topossible problems on processing performance and the bandwidth of a line,because the upper limit of the number of content allowed to be providedsimultaneously can never be exceeded, thus preventing the quality of thecontent of a live video from being deteriorated.

As described above, to provide the content of a live video in real timeat a desired time on a desired reserved date, the CPU 10 of the user PC2 can selects any one out of two methods of; providing content on apublic channel; and providing content on my channel when all the publicchannels are already booked.

Accordingly, when the content creator of the user PC 2 wants to providea live video of his or her amateur band in real time, he or she canselect a method to provide it on my channel, or when he or she want toprovide a live video of a famous professional artist, he or she canselect a method of providing it on a public channel.

As described above, the content providing service system 1 is designedsuch that either the on-demand type or the live type may be selected asa content providing mode, taking the content or a user who watches andlistens to the content into consideration.

(6-2) Connection Processing to ASP in the Live Type

After finishing the date and time reservation processing for providingthe content of a live video, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 next displaysthe live type personal cast control screen 170 (FIG. 29) on the displayunit 17 again.

At this time the content creator recognizes the contents of thereservation for providing the content of the live video by viewing thelive type personal cast control screen 170, and then starts recordingusing the digital video camera 18 (FIG. 3) at the photographing sitewhen the reserved starting time approaches, and clicks the connectionbutton 82 to provide the content of the live video in real time.

Then, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 starts a routine RT7 shown in FIG. 37in accordance with the automatic upload software at starting step, andproceeds to step SP51.

In step SP51 the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 logs in to the ASP 32 via thenetwork interface 16, the Internet 5 and ISP 31, and accesses the userinformation database 37 in the ASP 32 to obtain authentication based onthe user ID and password, etc., then moves on to next step SP52.

In step SP52 the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 controls the management server36 of the ASP 32 to confirm the content of the live type provisionschedule control file 189 (FIG. 32) stored in the provision schedulemanagement database 38 based on the user ID and password, and then itmoves on to next step SP53.

Thus, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 confirms the contents ofthe live type provision schedule control file 189 in the provisionschedule management database 38, so that the reservation state regardingthe content of the live video to be provided can be confirmed using theuser PC 2.

In step SP53 the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 is given an instruction commandto “Transmit content of live video” from the management server 36 of theASP 32 at the reserved starting time, to recognize using the instructioncommand whether the reserved start time has come.

Obtaining a negative result here means that the instruction command hasnot been given from the management server 36, and the CPU 10 stands byuntil an instruction command is given from the management server 36 ofthe ASP 32.

On the other hand, if an affirmative result is obtained in step SP53,which means that the instruction command has been given from themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32, and the CPU 10 judges that the starttime has come, and proceeds to step SP54.

In step SP54 the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 starts a transferring processto transfer the content of the live video being recorded, with theinstruction command given from the management server 36 of the ASP 32 asa trigger, to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 in real time overthe Internet 5, and terminates the processing in next step SP55.

Thus, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 records the content of thelive video transferred from the user PC 2 in the exclusive memory areain the content server 39 assigned to the public channel, and at the sametime stream-reproduces it, to provide it to a client PC 4 who made arequest, in real time.

Note that, at this time the control server 33 of the ISP 31 charges forthe Internet connection charges occurring while the user PC 2 istransferring the content of the live video to the ASP 32 over theInternet 5, in correspondence with the user ID of the user PC 2, andrenews the charge data in the charge management database 34.

Meanwhile, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 charges for theservice charge of the ASP 32, in correspondence with the user ID of heuser PC 2, transmits the charge data to the charge management database34 via the network interface 41 and the network interface 35 of the ISP31, to renew the charge data of the charge management database 34.

In this connection, in the case that the user PC 2 has a fixed rateservice contract called “as-much-as-you-like course”, the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 records only the connection date and time fromthe connection starting date and time till the connection ending dateand time with the user information DB table 45 in the user informationdatabase 37, and does not perform the charging processing, as theservice charge is fixed.

(6-3) Providing Processing of Content in Live Type

Similarly to the case of receiving content in the on-demand type, theclient PC 4 can makes the user registration to receive the content of alive video in the live type. In this case, the user registrationprocedure is to be made in accordance with the user registrationprocessing shown by the routine RT1 (FIG. 8), wherein the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 carries out the registration of a viewerinformation file into the viewer information database 40, incorrespondence with the user ID and password of the client PC 4.

When the user registration is not made, the client PC 4 may directlyaccess, as a visitor, the Web site of the personal casting serviceprovided by the ASP 32. The only those clients PC 4 who made the userregistration are allowed to make a contribution easily to the contentcreator of content which they are moved by, sympathize with, or feelsexcellent.

In practice, when the content of a live video is provided to the clientPC 4 having conducted the user registration on my channel in the livetype for example, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 starts aroutine RT8 shown in FIG. 38 at starting step, in accordance with acontent providing program read from the internal hard disk, and moves onto step SP61.

In step SP61 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 logged in by theclient PC 4 refers the viewer information file in the viewer informationdatabase 40 based on the user ID and password transmitted from theclient PC 4, and moves on to next step SP62.

In step SP62 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whether theclient PC 4 logging in is a registered regular user, in reference withthe viewer information file in the viewer information database 40 basedon the user ID and password.

A negative result here, if obtained, indicates that the user ID andpassword do not match those registered in the viewer informationdatabase 40, and then the management server 36 of the ASP 32 returns tostep SP61, to prompting the client PC4 to reenter the correct user IDand password so as to perform the login processing.

If an affirmative result is obtained in step SP62, which means that theclient PC 4 is a registered regular user, and the management server 36of the ASP 32 proceeds to next step SP63.

In step SP63 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads out the HTMLfile of the homepage of the personal casting service from the contentserver 39 in response to the access by the client PC 4, and transfers itto the client PC 4 via the network interface 41 over the Internet 5.

At this stage the client PC 4 receives at its CPU the HTML file of thehomepage of the personal casting service transmitted from the ASP 32,and displays it on the display unit as a homepage screen 125 (FIG. 25).

When the user clicks the live type my channel selection button 130 inthe live mode selection display area 128 on this homepage screen 125,the CPU of the client PC 4 transmits a mode selection signal indicatingthe selection of the live type my channel selection button 130 to themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5.

In step SP64 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads out the HTMLfile forming a genre display screen for my channel from the contentserver 39 based on the mode selection signal transmitted from the clientPC 4, and transmits it from its network interface 41 to the client PC 4over the Internet 5.

Thus, the CPU of the client PC 4 receives the HTML file of the genredisplay screen for my channel transmitted from the ASP 32, and displaysit on the display unit as a genre display screen 135 (FIG. 26) for mychannel.

When the user of the client PC 4 clicks any one (e.g., the “music”category icon 139) of the category icons 136 to 144 on this genredisplay screen 135 for my channel, the CPU of the client PC 4 transmitsa genre selection signal corresponding to the “music” category icon 139to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5.

In step SP65 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 retrieves the HTMLfile forming the live video schedule display screen regarding the imagecategory “music” from the content server 39 based on the genre selectionsignal transferred form the client PC 4, and transmits it from itsnetwork interface 41 to the client PC 4 over the Internet 5.

Thus, the CPU of the client PC 4 receives the HTML file forming the livevideo schedule display screen transferred from the ASP 32, and displaysit on the display unit as a live video schedule display screen 220 formy channel as shown in FIG. 39.

The live video schedule display screen 220 for my channel has a calendardisplay area 221 showing dates, a schedule content display area 222showing a providing schedule to provide the content of a live video onmy channel, and a channel type display area 224 showing the channel namecurrently being provided on my channel.

The present date (e.g., February 19) is displayed in a shaded frame 221Aon the calendar display area 221, so that the user of the client PC 4can easily acknowledge the present date.

The schedule content display area 222 has a time schedule frame (e.g., aperiod from 15:00 to 16:59:59) for the content of live videos that theASP 32 can provide at the present time (e.g., 15:10), and it shows thecontent of the live videos which can be provided at the present time onmy channels corresponding to plural types (up to 10 Ch) of channelbuttons 225 to 229 displayed in the channel type display area 224.

In step SP66 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whether adesired channel button (“Kimura” channel) 226, for example, is selectedby the user of the client PC 4 watching the live video schedule displayscreen 220 for my channel.

In this case, the CPU of the client PC 4 recognizes a URL setcorresponding to the selected channel button 226, and a channelselection signal indicating the URL is transmitted to the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5, so that the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 can recognize that the desired channel button226 was clicked when the channel selection signal was received.

A negative result at this step SP66, if obtained, indicates that none ofthe channel buttons 225 to 229 displayed in the channel type displayarea 224 on the live video schedule display screen 220 is selected, andthen the management server 36 of the ASP 32 stands by until any one ofthe channel buttons 225 to 229 is selected.

If an affirmative result is obtained in step SP66, on the other hand, itmeans that a user-desired channel button 226 has been clicked forselection out of the channel buttons 225 to 229, and then the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 proceeds to next step SP67.

In step SP67 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 stream-reproducesmotion picture data with CM of a live video to be provided at the timeof clicking from the dedicated memory area (corresponding to the“Kimura” channel) in the content server 39, and transmits it to theclient PC 4 over the Internet 5, and it proceeds to next step SP68 wherethe processing is terminated.

Thus, the CPU of the client PC 4 displays the content display screen 240of the live video as shown in FIG. 40 on the display unit based on themotion picture data with CM of the content transferred from the ASP 32,in which the CM video is firstly displayed in a motion picture displayarea 241 located in the center of the content display screen 240followed by a motion picture showing the live music.

The content of the live video is transmitted to the client PC 4,therefore the management server 36 of the ASP 32 can not provide thecontent from the beginning unlike the on-demand type, so that thecontent of the live video starts to be reproduced by streaming at themoment of the clicking.

Even in this case, however, when the CM providing request is set to“with CM” by the content creator of the user PC 2, the management server36 of the ASP 32 transmits the CM video to the client PC 4 without failbefore providing the content of the live video.

Accordingly, the client PC 4 can not watch and listen to the content ofthe live video immediately after clicking the user-desired channelbutton 226, but the content of the live video can be watched andlistened to only after reproducing the CM video first.

In this way, even when providing the content of the live video to theclient PC 4, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is designed to forcethe user of the client PC 4 to watch and listen to the CM videoregardless of the user's will.

At this time the control server 33 of the ISP 31 charges for theInternet connection charge occurring while the user PC 2 is transmittingthe motion picture data of the content of the live video to the ASP 32over the Internet 5, in correspondence with the user ID of the user PC2, resulting in the renewal of the charge data in the charge managementdatabase 34.

At the same time while the motion picture data of the content of thelive video to be supplied from the user PC 2 over the Internet 5 isreproduced by streaming through the content server 39, the managementserver 36 of the ASP charges for the service charge in correspondencewith the user ID of the user PC 2, registers the charge data in the userinformation DB table 45 in the user information database 37, andsimultaneously records it in the charge management database 34 via thenetwork interface 41 and the network interface 35 of the ISP 31.

In the case that the user PC 2 has a fixed rate service contract called“as-much-as-you-like course, the management server 36 of the ASP 32records only the connection period from the connection starting date andtime till the connection ending date and time in the user information DBtable 45 in the user information database 37, and does not charge foranything, as the service charge is fixed.

On the other hand, when the content of a live video is provided to auser-registered client PC 4 on a public channel for example, themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 enters into a routine RT9 shown inFIG. 41 at the starting step, proceeding to step SP71, in accordancewith a content providing program read from the internal hard disk.

Steps SP71 to SP73 is similar to steps SP61 to SP63 of the routine RT8where the content of the live video is provided on my channel, whereinthe management server 36 of the ASP 32 transfers the HTML file of thehomepage of the personal casting service to the client PC 4 via thenetwork interface 41 over the Internet 5.

Thus, the client PC 4 receives the HTML file of the personal castingservice transmitted from the ASP 32, and displays it on the display unit17 as the homepage screen 125 (FIG. 25).

When the user clicks the live type public channel selection button 129in the live mode selection display area 128 on this homepage screen 125,the CPU of the client PC 4 transmits a mode selection signal indicatingthe live type public channel selection button 129 to the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5.

In step SP74 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads out the HTMLforming the channel display screen for public channels from the contentserver 39 in response to the mode selection signal transmitted from theclient PC 4, and transmits it to the client PC 4 from its networkinterface 41 over the Internet 5.

Thus, the CPU of the client PC 4 receives the HTML file of the channeldisplay screen for the public channel transferred from the ASP 32, anddisplays it on the display unit as a channel display screen 245 for thepublic channels as shown in FIG. 42.

When the user of the client PC 4 clicks any one (e.g., the “live music”channel icon 247) out of video channel icons 246 to 249 on this channeldisplay screen for the public channels 245, the CPU of the client PC 4transmits a channel selection signal corresponding to the “live music”channel icon 2347 to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 over theInternet 5.

In step SP75 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 retrieves the HTMLfile forming the live video schedule display screen for the publicchannels regarding the “live music” channel from the content server 39based on the channel selection signal transferred form the client PC 4,and transmits it from its network interface 41 to the client PC 4 overthe Internet 5.

Thus, the PC 4 receives the HTML file forming the live video scheduledisplay screen for the public channels transferred from the ASP 32, anddisplays it on the display unit as the live video schedule displayscreen 255 for public channels 255 as shown in FIG. 43.

The live video schedule display screen for the public channels 255 has acalendar display area 256 showing dates, and a schedule content displayarea 257 showing a providing schedule for providing the content of thelive video regarding the selected “live music” channel.

This calendar display area 256 shows the present date (e.g., February19) is displayed in a shaded frame 256A, so that the user of the clientPC 4 can easily recognize the present date.

In addition, the schedule content display area 257 shows the titles ofthe content of live videos to be provided by the ASP 32 on February 19.In this case, it means the content of “∘Δ live” is to be provided in afirst time schedule frame 257A from 6:00:00 to 8:59:59, the content of“xx tour” in a second time schedule frame 257B from 10:00:00 to10:59:59, and the content of “×Δ concert” in a third time schedule framefrom 21:00:00 to 23:59:59.

Further, for example, at the present time (e.g., 10:09), the live videoschedule display screen 255 for the public channels shows the secondtime schedule frame 257B including the present time in a different colorfrom the first time schedule frame 257A and the third time scheduleframe 257C in the schedule content display area 257, so that the user ofthe client PC 4 can easily recognize that the content of “xx tour” canbe watched and listened in real time at the moment.

In step SP76 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whether thesecond time schedule frame 257B available at the moment (e.g., 10:09) isclicked for selection by the user of the client PC 4 watching the livevideo schedule display screen 255 for the public channels.

In this case, the CPU of the client PC 4 recognizes a URL setcorresponding to the “live music” channel of the public channels whenthe second time schedule frame 257B is selected, and a channel selectionsignal indicating the URL is transmitted to the management server 36 ofthe ASP 32 over the Internet 5, so that the management server 36 of theASP 32 recognizes that the second time schedule frame 257B was selectedwhen the channel selection signal is received.

A negative result in this step SP76, if obtained, indicates that thesecond time schedule frame 257B available at the present time on theschedule content display area 257 is not selected, and then themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 stands by until the second timeschedule frame 257B is selected.

If an affirmative result is obtained in step SP76, on the other hand, itmeans that the second time schedule frame 257B has been selected on theschedule content display area 257, and then the management server 36 ofthe ASP 32 proceeds to next step SP77.

In step SP77 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 starts to reproduceby streaming the motion picture data (“xx tour”) with CM of a live videoto be provided on the “live music” channel at the time of clicking, fromthe dedicated memory area corresponding to the “live music” channel inthe content server 39, and transmits it to the client PC 4 over theInternet 5, and it proceeds to next step SP78 where the processing isterminated.

Thus, the CPU of the client PC 4 displays a content display screen 260of the live video as shown in FIG. 44 on the display unit based on themotion picture data with CM (“xx tour”) of the live video transferredfrom the ASP 32, and displays the live video (“xx tour”) correspondingto the second time schedule frame 257B selected on the “live music”channel in the movie display area 261 located in the center of thecontent display screen 260.

In this case, too, the content of the live video starts to be provided,reproduced by streaming, at the moment of clicking the second timeschedule frame 257B, and when the CM provision request of the content isset to “with CM”, the CM video is first provided to the client PC 4 fromthe moment of the clicking, followed by the content of the live video.

Thus, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is to force the user of theclient PC 4 to watch and listen to the CM video regardless of his or herwill even when providing the content of the live video to the client PC4 on a public channel.

At this time while the user PC 2 transmits the motion picture data ofthe content of the live video to the ASP 32 over the Internet 5, thecontrol server 33 of the ISP 31 charges for the Internet connectioncharge in correspondence with the user ID of the user PC 2, and renewsthe charge data of the charge management database 34.

At the same time while the motion picture data of the content of thelive video to be supplied from the user PC 2 over the Internet 5 isreproduced by streaming through the content server 39, the managementserver 36 of the ASP charges for the service charge in correspondencewith the user ID of the user PC 2, registers the charge data in the userinformation DB table 45 in the user information database 37, andsimultaneously records it in the charge management database 34 via thenetwork interface 41 and the network interface 35 of the ISP 31.

However, in the case that the user PC 2 has a fixed rate servicecontract called “as-much-as-you-like course, the management server 36 ofthe ASP 32 records only the connection time from the connection startingdate and time till the connection ending date and time with the userinformation DB table 45 in the user information database 37, and doesnot charge for anything, as the service charge is fixed.

(7) Contribution Processing by Client PC

The user of the client PC 4 is allowed to make a contribution easily toa content creator if he or she is moved by or sympathizes with contentprovided, or if he or she feels that a content is excellent.

When a user viewing content clicks a contribution button 167, 242, or262 placed respectively on the content display screen 165 (FIG. 28) ofthe on-demand type displayed on the display unit based on a motionpicture file with CM of the content downloaded from the ASP32, or on thecontent display screen 240 (FIG. 40) or content display screen 260 (FIG.44) in the live type displayed based on a motion picture with CM of acontent of a live video on the display unit, the CPU of the client PC 4has a contribution amount selection screen 270 as shown in FIG. 45displayed next to the contribution buttons 167, 242, and 262 inaccordance with a contribution program read out from the internal harddisk (not shown in figure).

On this contribution amount selection screen 270 has contributionselection buttons 271 to 276 corresponding to the various amounts ofcontributions, and the user of the client PC 4 can click a desiredcontribution selection button out of the contribution amount buttons 271to 276 freely corresponding to an amount he or she wants to contribute.

Accordingly, when the user clicks the contribution selection button 272to make a contribution of ¥1,000 for example, the CPU of the client PC 4creates contribution data of the amount corresponding to the selectedcontribution selection button 272, and transmits it to the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5.

The management server 36 of the ASP 32 converts the contribution datatransmitted from the client PC 4 into points on a basis of a givenconversion rate, and retrieves a user information DB table 45corresponding to the content ID from the user information database 37,to renew the accumulated number of points on the user information DBtable 45 by adding the points equivalent to the contribution data.

The CPU of the client PC 4 creates charge data corresponding to thecontribution data, and transmits it to the management server 36 of theASP 32 over the Internet 5. Thus, the management server 36 of the ASP 32records the charge data for the contribution amount in a viewerinformation file in the viewer information database 40, together withthe service charge for the ASP32 the client PC 4 used.

At the same time the ISP 31, too, charges for the Internet connectioncharge while the client PC 4 receives content from the ASP 31 over theInternet 5, and records the amount data in the viewer information filein the viewer information database 40 as well as in the amountmanagement database 34.

Meantime, in the case where a visitor other than registered users makesa contribution to the content creator, when the visitor clicks thecontribution buttons 167, 242, or 262, the CPU of the client PC 4displays a contribution amount selection screen 270 (FIG. 45) next tothe contribution buttons 167, 242, or 262 and also displays an inputscreen (not shown) for a credit card number and other information, withwhich the visitor makes a contribution, to let the visitor to enter acredit card number.

Consequently, the CPU of the client PC 4 transmits the credit cardnumber data and the contribution data of an amount corresponding to acontribution selection button to the management server 36 of the ASP 32over the Internet 5, and renews the number of accumulated points on theuser information DB table 45 by adding the points corresponding to thecontribution data.

The management server 36 of the ASP 32 transmits the contribution dataequivalent to the amount the visitor contributes to the chargemanagement database of a credit card company based on the credit cardnumber data, to request the credit card company to perform chargeprocessing for the contribution by the visitor.

Note that, in addition to the above-described contribution processing,in the case where the CPU of the client PC4 displays the content displayscreen 350 shown in FIG. 46, for example, as content provided by thecontent server 39 of the ASP on the display unit, the user can enter adesired amount of contribution in the contribution amount input area 351on the content display screen 350, and also can change the contributionamount of the contribution amount inputting area 351 higher or lower ona fixed minimum amount basis by clicking the up-button 352 or thedown-button 353 provided next to the contribution amount inputting area351.

This content display screen 350 is capable of entering the amount morethan a fixed minimum amount in the contribution amount input area 351,and this fixed minimum amount is a minimum value (¥100 if one point isequivalent to ¥100) which can be converted into points for pointreturning to a content creator.

Therefore, if the user wants to change the amount after the userdirectly enter it in the contribution amount input area 351, he or shecan change the contribution amount on a fixed minimum amount basis byonly clicking the up-button 352 or the down-button 353. In addition,when the user wants to reenter the contribution amount from thebeginning, he or she clears the entered amount in the contributionamount input area 351 by just clicking the clear button 354.

Then, when the user clicks the contribution button 355, the CPU of theclient PC 4 displays the contribution confirmation screen 360 as shownin FIG. 47, in place of the content display screen 350.

In this connection, when the user clicks the finish button 356, the CPUof the client PC 4 determines that the user does not make a contributionand compulsory clears the content display screen 350.

The contribution confirmation screen 360 shows the contribution amountwhich has been entered in the contribution amount inputting area 351 onthe content display screen 350, in the amount confirmation area 361, andif the user wants to change the amount, he or she can directly enter thedesired amount in the amount confirmation area 361.

Further, on the contribution confirmation screen 360, the user canselect how to pay the contribution amount by selecting any one out of acheck box for credit card 363, a check box for electronic money 364, anda check box for point 365. When the user is a registered user on thepersonal casting service and has points, he or she can make acontribution using the points.

When the user clicks the OK button 362 after determining thecontribution amount and payment method on the contribution confirmationscreen 360, the CPU of the client PC 4 judges using the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 whether he or she is a registered user, if he orshe is a registered user, the CPU of the client PC 4 displays thecontribution processing finish screen 370 as shown in FIG. 48 by justone-clicking the OK button 362, and terminates the contributionprocessing by the registered user.

In addition, if the CPU of the client PC 4 recognizes that he or she isnot a registered user as a result of judging by means of the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 whether he or she is a registered user, itdisplays the credit card number inputting screen 380 as shown in FIG. 49to let the user enter the credit card number in the credit card numberinput area 381 and transmits the credit card number and the contributiondata equivalent to the contribution amount to the management server 36of the ASP 32 by just one-clicking the transmission button 382, so thata unregistered user can make a contribution.

After that, when the CPU of the client PC 4 confirms that transmissionis made without fail, via the management server 36 of the ASP 32,displays the contribution processing finish screen 370 (FIG. 48) andterminates the contribution processing by a unregistered user.

(8) Monthly Point Settlement Processing

Lastly, explanation will be given on the monthly points settlementprocessing by which profit returning is made to a content creator,according to the accumulated points in the user information DB table 45calculated every month. But before this explanation, the providingprocess procedure of content with CM video to be provided to a client PC4 will be explained, starting a routine RT10 shown in FIG. 50 withstarting step, and it moves on to step SP81.

In step SP81 the CPU of a client PC 4 recognizes that a desired channelbutton 155 has been clicked by a user on the channel display screen 150(FIG. 27), and then it proceeds to next step SP82.

In step SP82 the CPU of the client PC 4 transmits a content IDcorresponding to the selected channel button 155 to the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5, and it proceeds to nextstep SP83.

In step SP83 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 starts a contentproviding program read out from the internal hard disk, and retrievesthe on-demand type schedule control file 120 from the provision schedulemanagement database 38 based on the content ID transmitted from theclient PC 4 for example, and after confirming the user ID and thecontents of a CM request, it moves on next step SP84.

In step SP84, after confirming the on-demand type provision schedulecontrol file 120, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whetherthe CM request is set to “with CM”.

A negative results, if obtained, means that the CM request is “withoutCM” and the content without CM video is provided to the client PC 4. Atthis time, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 proceeds to step SP87to provide the motion picture file of the content without CM video, andterminates the processing in next step SP88.

On the contrary, if an affirmative result is obtained in step SP84, itmeans that the CM request is set to “with CM” and the content with CMvideo is provided to the client PC 4, and then the management server 36of the ASP 32 proceeds to next step SP85.

In step SP85 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 creates the contentof a motion picture file with CM by adding a CM video stored in the CMmanagement database 44 to the beginning of the motion picture filestored in the content server 39, and once stores it in the contentserver 39, and then moves on to next step SP86.

In step SP86 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 renews theaccumulated points on the user information DB table file 45 in the userinformation database 37 by adding the points occurred when the contentof the motion picture file with CM is provided to the client PC 4, andproceeds to next step SP87.

In step SP87 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads out thecontent of a motion picture file with CM from the content server 39 whenthe CM request is “with CM”, provides it to the client PC 4 over theInternet 5, and proceeds to next step SP88 where the processing isterminated.

In the content providing system 1, when the management server 36 of theASP 32 reads out the content of the motion picture file with CM from thecontent server 39 with the CM request set to “with CM” and provides itto the client PC 4 as described above, points are generated, and theaccumulated points on the user information DB table 45 is renewedaccordingly.

Next, in the content providing system 1, the monthly points settlementprocessing procedure will be explained for the case of performing profitreturning processing to a content creator, according to the accumulatedpoints on the user information DB table 45 calculated every month. Aroutine RT11 shown in FIG. 51 starts in the starting step, and itproceeds to step SP91.

In step SP91 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 renews the userinformation DB table 45 by adding the Internet connection charge to theISP 31 and the service charge of the ASP 32 by the user PC 2 (when the“as-much-as-you-like course” is set, the service use charge remainsfixed), in accordance with the profit returning program read out of theinternal hard disk, and proceeds to next step SP92.

In step SP92 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads out theaccumulated points on a monthly basis, referring to the user informationDB table 45 stored in the user information database 37, and proceeds tonext step SP93.

In step SP93 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whether theaccumulated points left over is higher than given points.

A negative result here, if obtained, means that the accumulated pointsleft over is less than given points, then the management server 36 ofthe ASP 32 moves on to next step SP94.

In step SP94, since the accumulated points left over is less than givenpoints, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 performs billingprocessing of the service charge at the present time to a user PC 2without conducting the profit returning processing according to theaccumulated points, and proceeds to next step SP101 where the processingis terminated.

Whereas, if an affirmative result is obtained in step SP93, it meansthat the monthly accumulated points left over is higher than the givenpoints, and then the management server 36 of the ASP 32 proceeds to nextstep SP95 to perform the profit returning processing according to theaccumulated points.

In step SP95 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 subtracts the amountequivalent to the accumulated points in the user information DB table 45from the amount of the service charge of the ASP 32, and renews the userinformation AB table 45 by subtracting the subtracted points for servicecharge from the accumulated points on the user information DB table 45,and then proceeds to next step SP96.

Thus, the service charge charged via a credit card company from theAPS32 is subtracted or set off, so the content creator of a user PC 2 isto receive profit returning according to the accumulated points.

In step SP96 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whether theaccumulated points left over is higher than the given points after theprofit is given back by being subtracted from the service charge of theASP32.

A negative result here, if obtained, means that the accumulated pointsleft over is less than the given points, then the management server 36of the ASP 32 moves on to next step SP94 to perform the billingprocessing for the service charge, and terminates the processing in nextstep SP101.

On the other hand, if an affirmative result is obtained in step SP96, itmeans that the accumulated points left over is higher than the givenpoints, then the management server 36 of the ASP 32 proceeds to nextstep SP97.

In step SP97 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 subtracts the amountequivalent to the accumulated points from the Internet connection chargeto the ISP 31 from the user PC 2, and renews the user information DBtable 45 by subtracting the subtracted points equivalent to the Internetconnection charge from the accumulated points of the user information DBtable 45, and then proceeds to next step SP98.

Thus, the Internet connection charge charged through the credit cardcompany is subtracted or set off, so that the content creator of theuser PC 2 is to receive profit returning according to the accumulatedpoints, following the service use charge of the ASP 32.

In step SP98 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whether theaccumulated points are still left over at this moment, and if theaccumulated points left over are one million or higher, the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 moves on to next step SP99.

In step SP99 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 instructs the creditcard company to subtract the accumulated points over one million fromthe settlement data through the credit card company, and then renews theaccumulated points by subtracting the accumulated points over onemillion from the accumulated points on the user information DB table 45,then it goes back to step SP98.

Whereas, if the accumulated points left over is one million points orless and one hundred thousand points or higher in step SP98, themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 proceeds to next step SP100.

In step SP100 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 transfers pointdata equivalent to the points obtained by subtracting one hundredthousand points from the accumulated points, to an online communicationsales company 6 over the Internet 5, and renews the accumulated pointsby subtracting that one-hundred-thousand-point-subtracted points fromthe accumulated points on the user information DB table 45, andterminates the processing in next step SP101.

In this case, the online communication sales device of the onlinecommunication sales company 6 recognizes personal information includingthe address and e-mail address of a content creator based on thecontents of the user information DB table 45, which is transferred fromthe ASP 32 in the user registration, and delivers a predetermined itemaccording to the one-hundred-thousand-subtracted points to the contentcreator of the user PC 2, for the profit returning processing.

Furthermore, when the accumulated points left over one hundred thousandor less in step SP98, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 moves tostep SP94 to perform the billing processing for the service charge, andterminates the processing in next step SP101.

(9) Operation and Effect in this Embodiment

In the aforementioned configuration, when the user viewing contentclicks the contribution button 167, 242, or 262 displayed on the contentdisplay screen 165 (FIG. 28) in the on-demand type displayed based onthe motion picture file with CM of the content downloaded from the ASP32, on the content display screen 240 (FIG. 40) or the content displayscreen 260 (FIG. 44) in the live type displayed based on the motionpicture file with CM of the content of a live video, the client PC 4displays the contribution amount selection screen 270 (FIG. 45) next tothe contribution button 167, 242, 262.

Then, when the user of the client PC 4 clicks a contribution amountselection button equivalent to a desired amount for contribution out ofthe contribution selection buttons 271 to 276, the CPU of the client PC4 creates the contribution data corresponding to the selectedcontribution amount selection button, and transmits it to the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5.

The management server 36 of the ASP 32 converts the contribution datatransmitted from the client PC 4 into points at a given conversion rate,and renews the accumulated points in the user information DB table 45corresponding to the content ID by adding the points based on thecontribution data.

Thus, the client PC 4 transmits the contribution data to the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32, and renews the accumulated points by adding thepoints, which are obtained by converting the contribution data by themanagement server 36, to the accumulated points on the user informationDB table 45 corresponding to the content ID, thereby the contributioncan be easily made to the content creator, in the form of thecontribution data transmitted over the Internet 5.

At this time the CPU of the client PC 4 creates charge data according tothe contribution data, and transmits it to the management server 36 ofthe ASP 32 over the Internet 5. Then, the management server 36 of theASP 32 records the charge data transmitted from the client PC 4 with theviewer information file in the viewer information database 40, and thenperforms the charge processing to the user of the client PC 4.

According to the aforementioned configuration, the client PC 4 createscontribution data based on a given amount obtained by clicking acontribution button, and transmits it to the management server 36 of theASP 32 over the Internet 5, thereby making it possible to easily make acontribution to a content creator in the form of points according to thecontribution data via the management service 36 on the online.

(10) Second Embodiment

In FIG. 52, a reference numeral 400 shows a network system in the secondembodiment of this invention which realizes the e-commerce utilizing theInternet, in which base stations CS1 to CS4 as fixed radio stations areset in different areas which are obtained by dividing a providing areafor a communications service into a desire size, and the base stationsCS1 to CS4 are connected by radio to portable information terminals MS1and MS2 as mobile radio stations and camera-integrated digital portabletelephones MS3 and MS4.

The base stations CS1 to CS4 are connected by radio by a code divisionmultiple connection method called the W-CDMA (Wideband-Code DivisionMultiple Access) to the portable information terminals MS1 and MS2 andthe camera-integrated digital portable telephones MS3 and MS4, and ahuge amount of data can be transmitted at a high data transmission rateof 2 [Mbps] at maximum using the frequency bandwidth of 2 [GHz].

As described above, the portable information terminals MS1 and MS2 andthe camera-integrated digital portable telephones MS3 and MS4 cantransmit a huge amount of data at a high rate by the W-CDMA method, sothat a variety of data communications including thetransmission/reception of e-mails, the viewing of simple homepages, thetransmission/reception of pictures as well as audio communication can becarried out.

In addition, the base stations CS1 to CS4 are connected to the publiccircuit network INW with a wired circuit, and the public circuit networkINW is connected to many subscribers' wired terminals, computernetworks, local networks, content servers TS and content providers 3described in the first embodiment, over the Internet 5.

This content server TS provides content of, for example, a simplehomepage as a file of the compact HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) formin response to requests from the subscriber wired terminals, theportable information terminals MS1, MS2 and the camera-integrateddigital portable telephones MS3, MS4.

In this connection, the portable information terminals MS1, MS2 and thecamera-integrated digital portable telephones MS3, MS4 communicate withthe base stations CS1 to CS4 by a simple transport protocol of 2 [Mbps],and the base stations CS1 to S4 communicate with the content server TSand the content provider 3 by the TCP/IP protocol over the Internet 5.

Note that, the management control unit MCU is connected to thesubscribers' wired terminals, the portable information terminals MS1,MS2, and the camera-integrated digital portable telephones MS3, MS4 viathe public circuit network INW, and performs the authenticationprocessing and the charge processing to the subscribers' wiredterminals, the portable information terminals MS1, MS2, and thecamera-integrated digital portable telephones MS3, MS4.

(11) Appearance Structure of Camera-Integrated Digital PortableTelephone

Next, the appearance structure of the camera-integrated digital portabletelephone MS3 will be explained. As shown in FIG. 53, thecamera-integrated digital portable telephone MS3 can be divided into adisplay unit 412 and a main unit 413 bordering a central hinge 411, andcan be closed at the hinge 411.

In the display unit 412, an antenna 411 for transmission/reception isattached to the upper-left part so as to be drawn and contained, and isused to transmit/receive radio waves to/from the base station CS3.

In addition, in the display unit 412, a camera unit 415 which can berotated within a angle of approximately 180 degrees is provided at theupper-centered part, to photograph a desired object using a CCD camera416 of the camera unit 415.

Here, in the display unit 412, when a user rotates and positions thecamera unit 415 by approximately 180 degrees, a speaker provided in thecenter on the back side of the camera unit 415 is positioned on thefront side as shown in FIG. 54, in order to switch to an ordinary audiocommunication status.

Further, the display unit 412 has a liquid crystal display 418 on itsfront surface, to display an e-mail, a simple homepage, and variouspictures photographed by the CCD camera 416, as well as the receptionquality of radio waves, the battery level, the names and telephonenumbers listed in the telephone directory and an outgoing-call history.

On the other hand, the main unit 413 has operation keys 419 includingnumeral keys of “0” to “9”, a call key, a redial key, an end and powerkey, a clear key, and an e-mail key, on its front surface, so thatvarious commands can be entered using the operation keys 419.

In addition, the main unit 413 has a memo button 420 and a microphone421 under the operation keys 419, to record voice of a chatting mateusing the memo button 420 and also to collect voice of a user inchatting using the microphone 421.

Furthermore, in the main unit 413, a jog dial 422 that can be rotated isprovided above the operation keys 419, slightly projecting from thefront surface of the main unit, and by rotating the jog dial 422, atelephone directory list or an e-mail can be scrolled, pages of a simplehomepage can be turn, and images can be forwarded on the liquid crystaldisplay 418.

For example, when the user rotates the jog dial 422 to select a desiredtelephone number from the telephone directory list displayed on theliquid crystal display 418 and presses the jog dial 422 toward theinside of the main unit 413, the main unit 413 determines the telephonenumber and calls the telephone number automatically.

Note that, the main unit 413 has a battery pack, not shown, on its backside, and when the end and power key is in an ON state, power issupplied from the battery pack to each circuit to activate.

By the way, in the main unit 413, a Memory Stick slot 424 for insertionof a Memory Stick (trademark of Sony Corp.) that can be inserted andremoved therein/therefrom is provided at the upper part on the leftsurface of the main unit 413, and voice of the chatting mate, e-mails,simple homepages, and images photographed by the CCD camera 416 can berecorded on the Memory Stick 423 by pressing the memo button 420.

This Memory Stick 423 is a kind of flash memory card invented by SonyCooperation, the applicant of this invention. This Memory Stick 423 is asmall and thin plastic case of length 21.5×width 50×thickness 2.8 [mm]containing a flash memory element which is a kind of an EEPROM(Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory) that is anon-volatile memory and is capable of electrically rewriting anderasing. And various data including images, audio and music can berecorded and read out via 10-pin terminals.

Further, the Memory Stick 423 adopts an original serial protocol bywhich a used apparatus can cope with a change in specification of abuilt-in flash memory, such as extension of memory, and realize a highspeed performance: the maximum recording speed of 1.5 [MB/S] and themaximum reading speed of 2.45 [MB/S]. And also it has anerroneous-deletion preventing switch and keeps a high reliability.

Thereby, since such a Memory Stick 423 can be inserted or removedinto/from the camera-integrated digital portable telephone MS3, data canbe shared among other electronic devices using the Memory Stick 423.

(12) Circuit Structure of Camera-Integrated Digital Portable Telephone

As shown in FIG. 55, the camera-integrated digital portable telephoneMS3 has the main control division 450 for centrally controlling thedisplay division 412 and the main unit 413 connected to a power circuitdivision 451, an operation input control division 452, an image encoder453, a camera interface division 454, a LCD (liquid crystal display)control division 455, an image decoder 456, a demultiplexing division457, a recording and reproducing division 462, a modulator anddemodulator circuit division 458 and an audio CODEC 459 with a main bus460, and also the image encoder 453, the image decoder 456, thedemultiplexing division 457, the modulator and demodulator circuitdivision 458 and the audio CODEC 459 are connected to each other with asynchronous bus 461.

When the end and power key is turned on by the user, the power circuitdivision 451 starts up the camera-integrated digital portable telephoneMS3 in an operable state by supplying power from the battery pack toeach division.

Under control of main control division 450 comprised of the CPU, ROM,RAM and so on, the camera-integrated digital portable telephone MS3converts an audio signal collected with the microphone 421 in an audiocommunication mode, into digital audio data through the audio CODEC 459and performs a spread spectrum process on it at the modulator anddemodulator circuit division 458, and performs digital-to-analogconversion and frequency conversion processes at the sending andreceiving circuit division 462, and then sends it via the antenna 414.

In addition, the camera-integrated digital portable telephone MS3amplifies a received signal received by the antenna 414 in the audiocommunication mode and performs the frequency conversion andanalog-to-digital conversion processes, performs the de-spread spectrumprocess at the modulator and demodulator circuit division 458 andconverts it into an analog audio signal at the audio CODEC 459, and thenoutputs it from the speaker 417.

Furthermore, in the case of sending an electronic mail in the datacommunication mode, the camera-integrated digital portable telephone MS3sends text data of the electronic mail inputted by operating the controlkeys 419 and the jog dial 422 to the main control division 450 via theoperation input control division 452.

The main control division 450 performs the spread spectrum process onthe text data at the modulator and demodulator circuit division 458 andperforms the digital-to-analog conversion and frequency conversionprocesses on it at the sending and receiving circuit division 462, andthen sends it to the base station CS3 (FIG. 52) via the antenna 414.

On the other hand, in the case of receiving an electronic mail in thedata communication mode, the camera-integrated digital portabletelephone MS3 performs the de-spread spectrum process on the receivedsignal, which is received from the base station CS3 via the antenna 414,at the modulator and demodulator circuit division 458 to restore theoriginal text data, and then displays it as the electronic mail on theliquid crystal display 418 via the LCD control division 455.

It is also possible thereafter for the camera-integrated digitalportable telephone MS3 to record the received electronic mail on theMemory Stick 423 via the recording and reproducing division 462 by theuser's operation.

On the other hand, in the case of sending image data in the datacommunication mode, the camera-integrated digital portable telephone MS3supplies the image data photographed by the CCD camera 416 to the imageencoder 453 via the camera interface division 454.

In this connection, in the case where the image data is not to be sent,it is also possible for the camera-integrated digital portable telephoneMS3 to directly display the image data photographed by the CCD camera416 on the liquid crystal display 418 via the camera interface division454 and the LCD control division 455.

The image encoder 453 converts the image data supplied from the CCDcamera 416 into coded image data by compression-coding by apredetermined encoding method such as the MPEG (moving picture expertsgroup 2 or MPEG4, and sends the resultant to the demultiplexing division457.

At this time, the camera-integrated digital portable telephone MS3simultaneously sends the audio collected with the microphone 421 duringphotographing by the CCD camera 416 as digital audio data to thedemultiplexing division 457 via the audio CODEC 459.

The demultiplexing division 457 multiplexes the coded image datasupplied from the image encoder 453 and the audio data supplied from theaudio CODEC 459 by a predetermined method, and performs the spreadspectrum process on the resultant multiplexed data at the modulator anddemodulator circuit division 458 and performs the digital-to-analogconversion and frequency conversion processes on it at the sending andreceiving circuit division 462, and then sends the resultant via theantenna 414.

On the other hand, in the case of receiving image data such as a simplehomepage in the data communication mode, the camera-integrated digitalportable telephone MS3 performs the de-spread spectrum process on thereceived signal received from the base station CS3 via the antenna 414at the modulator and demodulator circuit division 458 and sends theresultant multiplexed data to the demultiplexing division 457.

The demultiplexing division 457 demultiplexes the multiplexed data todivide it into coded image data and audio data, and supplies the codedimage data to the image decoder 456 and also supplies the audio data tothe audio CODEC 459 through the synchronous bus 461.

The image decoder 456 generates reproduction image data by decoding thecoded image data by a decoding method corresponding to the predeterminedencoding method such as MPEG2 or MPEG4, and displays it as, forinstance, an image linked to the simple homepage on the liquid crystaldisplay 418 via the LCD control division 455.

At this time, the audio CODEC 459 converts the audio data into analogaudio data, and then outputs it as, for instance, sounds linked to thesimple homepage via the speaker 417.

Also in this case, just as in the case of the electronic mail, thecamera-integrated digital portable telephone MS3 can record the imagedata of the received simple homepage on the Memory Stick 423 via therecording and reproducing division 462 by the user's operation.

In addition to the above configuration, in the camera-integrated digitalportable telephone MS3, the ROM of the main control division 450 storesan application program to utilize the personal casting service and acontribution program to make a contribution, as in the case of the firstembodiment, so as to receive content in the on-demand type or in thelive-type from the content provider 3 (FIG. 2) accessed therefrom overthe Internet, and displays the content display screen 350 (FIG. 46), forexample.

The user clicks the contribution button 355 only once after entering adesired amount in the contribution amount input area 351 while viewingthe content display screen 350, the camera-integrated digital portabletelephone MS3 transmits the contribution data equivalent to the amountto the management server 36 of the ASP 32 and also transmits the chargedata equivalent to the contribution data to the management server 36 ofthe ASP 32 to execute the contribution processing.

Note that, the camera-integrated digital portable telephone MS3 maydisplay the contribution confirmation screen 360 when the contributionbutton 355 is clicked, and may transmit the contribution data equivalentto the amount to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 when the “OK”button 362 is clicked after the contribution amount is confirmed on thecontribution confirmation screen 360.

That is, the camera-integrated digital portable telephone MS3 canexecute the contribution processing for content, as in the case of theclient PC4 in the first embodiment, and can work as a mobile terminal toreceive content not only inside but also outside and then easily executethe contribution processing for the content over the network.

Here, the processing by the management server 36 of the ASP 32 issimilar to the case of the first embodiment, and is executed in such amanner that the contribution data transmitted from the camera-integrateddigital portable telephone MS3 is converted into points at a fixedconversion rate, the user information DB table 45 corresponding thecontent ID is retrieved from the user information database 37, and theaccumulated points of the user information DB table 45 is updated byadding the points equivalent to the contribution data.

In addition, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 executes the chargeprocessing in such a manner that the charge data equivalent to thecontribution data transmitted from the camera-integrated digitalportable telephone MS3 is recorded in the viewer information file of theviewer information database 40 together with the service charge of theASP 32 of the camera-integrated digital portable telephone MS3.

As described above, in the network system 400, as in the case of thefirst embodiment, the camera-integrated digital portable telephone MS3receives content from the content provider 3, and the contribution datafor the content is indirectly transmitted via the content display screen350 displayed on the camera-integrated digital portable telephone MS3,thus a user easily make a contribution to a content creator using thecamera-integrated digital portable telephone MS3.

(13) Other Embodiments

The foregoing first and second embodiments have described the case wherethe contribution data is created according to the amount which isselected on the contribution amount selection screen 270 by clicking thecontribution button, and transmitted to the management server 36 of theASP 32. However, the present invention is not limited to it, andcontribution data can be created according to an amount entered by auser of the client PC 4 or the camera-integrated digital portabletelephone MS3 and transmitted to the management server 36 of the ASP 3.In this case, similar effect to the foregoing embodiments can beobtained.

Further, the foregoing first and second embodiments have described thecase where the contribution program is installed in the client PC 4 orthe camera-integrated digital portable telephone MS3 in advance tocreate and transmit the contribution data to the management server 36 ofthe ASP 32. However, the present invention is not limited to it and thecontribution program can be installed by reproducing a program storingmedium being a package medium, such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read onlyMemory) and a DVD (Digital Video Disc), storing the contributionprogram. Also, the contribution program may can be installed byreproducing a program storing medium such as a semiconductive memory ora magneto-optical disc, capable of storing the contribution programtemporarily or permanently.

A wired or radio communication medium such as a local area network and adigital satellite broadcast can be also used as a means for storing thecontribution program into this program storage medium. Also, a varietyof communication interfaces such as a router or a modem can be involvedin the storing process.

Furthermore, the aforementioned first and second embodiments havedescribed the case where the client PC 4 and the camera-integrateddigital portable telephone MS3 are used as devices which receive contentprovided by the management server 36 of the ASP 32. However, the presentinvention is not limited to it, and portable information terminals MS1,MS2 and the like can be used as long as they can be connected over theInternet 5.

Furthermore, the foregoing first and second embodiments have describedthe case where the contribution is made for content in the on-demandtype or in the live-type which is displayed on the on-demand contentdisplay screen 165 (FIG. 28), on the live content display screen 240(FIG. 40), or on the live content display screen 260 (FIG. 44). Thisinvention, however, is not limited to this and a contribution can bemade for a general homepage, that is, a design, planning, operability,or quality of provided information of the homepage, for a personalexpression like literal content such as news, a poem, a novel, adescription article, a critical essay or a comment, or still picturecontent such as a picture, a illustration, a drawings, or a computergraphic.

Furthermore, the aforementioned first and second embodiments havedescribed the case where the contribution buttons are provided to make acontribution to a content creator. However, the present invention is notlimited to it, and a celebration button can be provided so as to send atip in the form of contribution data to the content creator when thecontent of a wedding ceremony is provided in a live video. In addition,a variety of contributions such as an offertory, money offering to adeceased person, and money for congratulation on giving a birth, somecelebrations, constructing a new home, moving out, entering school,graduating school, that is, tips, can be made according to providedcontent.

Furthermore, the aforementioned first and second embodiments havedescribed the case where the Internet 5 is used as a network, however,the present invention is not limited to it, but a variety of wired orradio networks can be used.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The contribution processing device, the contribution processing method,the contribution accepting device, the contribution accepting method,the program storage medium, and the contribution processing systemaccording to the present invention are applied in a content providingsystem which is constructed by connecting content servers for providingcontent to clients who receives the content, over the network.

1. A contribution processing device comprising: a registering unitconfigured to register user information of a content provider with auser information database, the information including at leastinformation of a credit card of the content provider; authenticatingunit configured to authenticate said user information; a receiving unitconfigured to receive, when said authenticating unit authenticates saiduser information, personal content data which were personally created bysaid content provider and display data for displaying a usercontribution icon including a contribution button configured to beselected to indicate that a contribution is to be given to the contentprovider of the personal content data associated with said usercontribution icon and given in consideration for sharing by the contentprovider of the personal content data over a network from apredetermined server; a display control unit configured to control adisplay screen, said display screen configured to display thecontribution icon and the personal content data, simultaneously; acontribution acceptance unit configured to provide an indication of anacceptance of the contribution from a registered user without asubsequent request for information regarding how payment is going to bemade; a contribution data creating unit configured to createcontribution data that corresponds to a given amount of the contributionafter the contribution icon is selected on said content display screen;and a transmitting unit configured to instruct a credit card company ofsaid credit card of said content provider to make a settlement based onsaid contribution data created by said contribution data creating unit.2. The contribution processing device according to claim 1, wherein saidcontribution data creating unit is configured to displays a contributionamount selection screen showing a plurality of amounts on said displaymeans in response to the selection of said contribution button, and tocreate said contribution data corresponding to said amount selected onsaid contribution amount selection screen.
 3. The contributionprocessing device according to claim 1, wherein said contribution datacreating unit is configured to create said contribution data equivalentto an amount which is directly entered in a contribution amount inputarea corresponding to said contribution button when the contributionbutton is selected.
 4. The contribution processing device according toclaim 1, wherein said contribution data creating data unit is configuredto change an amount directly entered in a contribution amount input areacorresponding to said contribution button by the amount more than afixed minimum amount, according to user's operations when thecontribution button is selected, and to create said contribution dataequivalent to the changed amount.
 5. The contribution processing deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein said contribution data is added to userinformation corresponding to the content provider, and a service chargefor supplying said content is charged to said user information.
 6. Thecontribution processing device according to claim 1, wherein saidpredetermined server comprises the contribution managing device.
 7. Thecontribution processing device according to claim 1, wherein said amountof contribution includes electronic money.
 8. The contributionprocessing device according to claim 1, wherein said amount ofcontribution includes points if a contributor of the contributioncomprises said registered user on a service, and the content providerprovides the content to other apparatus including the contributionmanaging device via the service.
 9. A contribution processing method,comprising: registering user information of a content provider with auser information database, the information including at leastinformation of a credit card of the content provider; authenticatingsaid user information; receiving, when said user information isauthenticated, over a network from a predetermined server personalcontent data which were personally created by the content provider anddisplay data for displaying a user contribution icon including acontribution button configured to be selected to indicate that acontribution is to be given to the content provider of the personalcontent data associated with said user contribution icon, and given inconsideration for sharing by the content provider of the personalcontent data over a network from a predetermined server; displaying adisplay screen displaying the contribution icon and the personal contentdata, simultaneously; providing an indication of an acceptance of thecontribution from a registered user without a subsequent request forinformation regarding how payment is going to be made; creatingcontribution data that corresponds to a given amount of the contributionafter the contribution icon is selected on said content display screen;and instructing a credit card company of said credit card of saidcontent provider to make a settlement based on said created contributiondata.
 10. The contribution processing method according to claim 9,wherein said creating comprises: displaying a contribution amountselection screen which displays a plurality of amounts in response tothe selection of said contribution button; and creating saidcontribution data equivalent to said amount selected on saidcontribution amount selection screen.
 11. The contribution processingmethod according to claim 9, wherein said creating comprises: creatingsaid contribution data equivalent to an amount which is directly enteredin a contribution amount input area corresponding to said contributionbutton when the contribution button is selected.
 12. The contributionprocessing method according to claim 9, wherein said creating comprises:changing an amount directly entered in a contribution amount input areacorresponding to said contribution button by the amount more than afixed minimum amount, according to user's operations when thecontribution button is selected; and creating said contribution dataequivalent to the changed amount.
 13. The contribution processing methodaccording to claim 9, wherein said contribution data is added to userinformation corresponding to the content provider, and a service chargefor supplying said content is charged to said user information.
 14. Aprogram storage medium to make an information processing device executea program stored on said program storage medium, wherein said programperforms the function of: registering user information of a contentprovider with a user information database, the information including atleast information of a credit card of the content provider;authenticating said user information; receiving, when said userinformation is authenticated, over a network from a predetermined serverpersonal content data which were personally created by the contentprovider and display data for displaying a user contribution iconincluding a contribution button configured to be selected to indicatethat a contribution is to be given to the content provider of thepersonal content data associated with said user contribution icon˜ andgiven in consideration for sharing by the content provider of thepersonal content data over a network from a predetermined server;displaying a display screen displaying the contribution icon and thepersonal content data, simultaneously; providing an indication of anacceptance of the contribution from a registered user without asubsequent request for information regarding how payment is going to bemade; creating contribution data that corresponds to a given amount ofthe contribution after the contribution icon is selected on said contentdisplay screen; and instructing a credit card company of said creditcard of said content provider to make a settlement based on said createdcontribution data.
 15. The program storage medium according to claim 14,wherein said creating comprises: displaying a contribution amountselection screen which displays a plurality of amounts in response tothe selection of said contribution button; and creating saidcontribution data equivalent to said amount selected on saidcontribution amount selection screen.
 16. The program storage mediumaccording to claim 14, wherein said creating comprises: creating saidcontribution data equivalent to an amount which is directly entered in acontribution amount input area corresponding to said contribution buttonwhen the contribution button is selected.
 17. The program storage mediumaccording to claim 14, wherein said creating comprises: changing anamount directly entered in a contribution amount input areacorresponding to said contribution button by the amount more than afixed minimum amount, according to user's operations when thecontribution button is selected; and creating said contribution dataequivalent to the changed amount.
 18. A contribution processing systemcomprising: a computer-based apparatus configured to register userinformation of a content provider with a user information database, theinformation including at least information of a credit card of thecontent provider, authenticate said user information, and transmit, whensaid user information is authenticated, over a network personal contentdata which were personally created by a content provider and displaydata for displaying a user contribution icon including a contributionbutton configured to be selected to indicate that a contribution is tobe given to the content provider of the personal content data associatedwith said user contribution icon and given in consideration for sharingby the content provider of the personal content data over a network froma predetermined server; said apparatus including, a contribution amountidentification mechanism permitting a contribution amount identified ata user terminal to be selected or entered not lower than a fixed minimumamount, a display manager configured to provide display information tothe user terminal for confirmation of the contribution amount, saiddisplay information simultaneously displaying the contribution icon andthe personal content data a contribution acceptance unit configured toprovide an indication of an acceptance of the contribution from aregistered user without a subsequent request for information regardinghow payment is going to be made; and a contribution processor configuredto apportion said contribution amount to include a service charge, sendan acknowledgement to the user terminal for the contribution amount, andinstruct a credit card company of said credit card of said contentprovider to make a settlement based on said created contribution amount.